. 


— Win.  Vhicent  Wallace's  new  opera,  "The  Amber 
wtm  produced  at  Her  Majesty's  Theater  on  the 
28tlfl-boforo  an  iinmem-e  audience,  and  achieved  com- 
plete eueceaa.  Tke  Time*  sayH :  fa  1  lU .  -.  I  ii  9  J/ 

••The  v  '•  MI» 

•    K<M'\C3I,  ihr-    i-inii- 

vc:ry  act :  and  at  th*      : 

•.•••\i\  to  Mr.  Chailea      , 

•  •tor,  who   haj  tho:vm;..ly  well  paniect  it,  for  »      ' 

nn-.v  and  difficult  work  tu* 
'n  almost  it*  complicated  tu  it  ui 

tjful.  t:  •  'dly  be  accorded  to  th» 

u«tru  and  oliornii   ondor  Mr.  H*114'»  control— both,  by  th» 
r.lurced  lorthn  oocfllion.      Th« 
iLa  demonstration*  of  approval,  the  up-1 

•ing^rn  In  nmiilitloTi  -t  by   Mr.* 

:ue   uonori 
did  not  t?rmin»te  till  uearly  midnight" 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


WILEY  AND  PUTNAM'S 

LIBRARY  OF 

CHOICE    READING. 
MARY  SCHWEIDLER, 

THE    A  MB  E  R-VI  T  C  H. 


MARY  SCHWEIDLER, 


THE    AMBER    ¥ITCH 


THE    MOST    INTERESTING    TRIAL   FOR   WITCHCRAFT   EVER 

KNOWN,  PRINTED    FROM  AN  IMPERFECT  MANUSCRIPT 

BY    HER   FATHER,  ABRAHAM   SCHWEIDLER,  THE 

PASTOR     OF     COSEROW,     IN     THE     ISLAND 

OF   TJSEDOM. 


EDITED 

BY    W.(  M  E  I  N  H  0  L  D, 

DOCTOR  Or-THKOLOQY,  AND  PASTOR,  BTC. 
TRANSLATED    FROM    THE    GERMAN 

BY    LADY    DUFF    GORDON. 


WILEY  AND  PUTNAM. 
1845. 


R.  CRAIQHEAD'S  Power  Pre«, 

112Fulton-rT  «u 


TT 


ri 

PREFACE, 
00 


IN  laying  before  the  public  this  deeply  affecting  and  roman- 
tic trial,  which  I  have  not  without  reason  called  on  the  title- 
page  the  most  interesting  of  all  trials  for  witchcraft  ever 
known,  I  will  first  give  some  account  of  the  history  of  the 
manuscript. 

At  Coserow,  in  the  Island  of  Usedom,  my  former  cure, 
the  same  which  was  held  by  our  worthy  author  some  two 
hundred  years  ago,  there  existed  under  a  seat  in  the  choir  of 
the  church  a  sort  of  niche,  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  floor. 
|  had,  indeed,  often  seen  a  heap  of  various  writings  in  this 
recess ;  but  owing  to  my  short  sight,  and  the  darkness  of 
'-'the  place,  I  had  taken  them  for  antiquated  hymn-books, 
^which  were  lying  about  in  great  numbers.  But  one  day, 
while  I  was  teaching  in  the  church,  I  looked  for  a  paper 
mark  in  the  Catechism  of  one  of  the  boys,  which  I  could  not 
immediately  find  ;  and  my  old  sexton,  who  was  past  eighty 
(and  who,  although  called  Appelman,  was  thoroughly  unlike 
his  namesake  in  our  story,  being  a  very  worthy,  although  a 
most  ignorant  man),  stooped  down  to  the  said  niche,  and 
took  from  it  a  folio  volume  wrhich  I  had  never  before  ob- 
served, out  of  which  he,  without  the  slightest  hesitation, 
tore  a  strip  of  paper  suited  to  my  purpose,  and  reached  it 
to  me.  I  immediately  seized  upon  the  book,  and,  after  a 
few  minutes'  perusal,  I  know  not  which  was  greater,  my 
astonishment  or  my  vexation  at  this  costly  prize.  The 


iv  PREFACE. 

manuscript,  which  was  bound  in  vellum,  was  not  only  defec- 
tive both  at  the  beginning  and  at  the  end,  but  several  leaves 
had  even  been  torn  out  here  and  there  in  the  middle.  I 
scolded  the  old  man  as  I  had  never  done  during  the  whole 
course  of  my  life ;  but  he  excused  himself,  saying  that  one 
of  my  predecessors  had  given  him  the  manuscript  for  waste 
paper,  as  it  had  lain  about  there  ever  since  the  memory  of 
man,  and  he  had  often  been  in  want  of  paper  to  twist  round 
the  altar-candles,  &c.  The  aged  and  half-blind  pastor  had 
mistaken  the  folio  for  old  parochial  accounts  which  could  be 
of  no  more  use  to  any  one.* 

No  sooner  had  I  reached  home  than  I  fell  to  work  upon 
my  new  acquisition,  and  after  reading  a  bit  here  an4  there 
with  considerable  trouble,  my  interest  was  powerfully  ex- 
cited by  the  contents. 

I  soon  felt  the  necessity  of  making  myself  better  acquaint- 
ed with  the  nature  and  conduct  of  these  witch  trials,  with 
the  proceedings,  nay,  even  with  the  history  of  the  whole 
period  in  which  these  events  occur.  But  the  more  I  read 
of  these  extraordinary  stories,  the  more  was  I  confounded ; 
and  neither  the  trivial  Becker  (die  bezauberte  Welt,  the 
enchanted  world),  nor  the  more  careful  Horst  (Zauberbib- 
liothek,  the  library  of  magic),  to  which,  as  well  as  to  several 
other  works  on  the  same  subject,  I  had  flown  for  informa- 
tion, could  resolve  my  doubts,  but  rather  served  to  increase 
them. 

Not  alone  is  the  demoniacal  character,  which  pervades 
nearly  all  these  fearful  stories,  so  deeply  marked,  as  to  fill 

*  The  original  manuscript  does  indeed  contain  several  accounts  which 
at  first  sight  may  have  led  to  this  mistake;  besides,  the  handwriting  is 
extremely  difficult  to  read,  and  in  several  places  the  paper  is  discolored 
and  decayed. 


PREFACE. 


the  attentive  reader  with  feelings  of  alternate  horror  and 
dismay,  but  the  eternal  and  unchangeable  laws  of  human 
feeling  and  action  are  often  arrested  in  a  manner  so  violent 
and  unforeseen,  that  the  understanding  is  entirely  baffled. 
For  instance,  one  of  the  original  trials  which  a  friend  of 
mine,  a  lawyer,  discovered  in  our  province,  contains  the 
account  of  a  mother,  who,  after  she  had  suffered  the  torture, 
and  received  the  holy  Sacrament,  and  was  on  the  point  of 
going  to  the  stake,  so  utterly  lost  all  maternal  feeling,  that 
her  conscience  obliged  her  to  accuse  as  a  witch  her  only 
dearly  loved  daughter,  a  girl  of  fifteen,  against  whom  no 
one  had  ever  entertained  a  suspicion,  in  order,  as  she  said, 
to  save  her  poor  soul.  The  court,  justly  amazed  at  an  event 
which  probably  has  never  since  been  paralleled,  caused  the 
state  of  the  mother's  mind  to  be  examined  both  by  clergy- 
men and  physicians,  whose  original  testimonies  are  still 
appended  to  the  records,  and  are  all  highly  favorable  to 
her  soundness  of  mind.  The  unfortunate  daughter,  whose 
name  was  Elizabeth  Hegel,  was  actually  executed  on  the 
strength  of  her  mother's  accusation.* 

The  explanation  commonly  received  at  the  present  day, 
that  these  phenomena  were  produced  by  means  of  animal 
magnetism,  is  utterly  insufficient.  How,  for  instance,  could 
this  account  for  the  deeply  demoniacal  nature  of  old  Lizzie 
Kolken  as  exhibited  in  the  following  pages  ?  It  is  utterly 
incomprehensible,  and  perfectly  explains  why  the  old  pastor, 
notwithstanding  the  horrible  deceits  practised  on  him  in  the 
person  of  his  daughter,  retained  as  firm  a  faith  in  the  truth 
of  witchcraft  as  in  that  of  the  Gospel. 

During  the  earlier  centuries  of  the  middle  ages  little  was 

• 
*  It  is  my  intention  to  publish  this  trial  also,  as  it  possesses  very  great 

psychological  interest. 

1* 


vi  PREFACE. 

known  of  witchcraft.  The  crime  of  magic,  when  it  did 
occur,  was  leniently  punished.  For  instance,  the  council 
of  Ancyra  (314)  ordained  the  whole  punishment  of  witches 
to  consist  in  expulsion  from  the  Christian  community.  The 
Visigoths  punished  them  with  stripes,  and  Charlemagne,  by 
advice  of  his  bishops,  confined  them  in  prison  until  such  time 
as  they  should  sincerely  repent.*  It  was  not  until  very 
soon  before  the  Reformation,  that  Innocent  VIII.  lamented 
that  the  complaints  of  universal  Christendom  against  the 
evil  practices  of  these  women  had  become  so  general  and 
so  loud,  that  the  most  vigorous  measures  must  be  taken 
against  them ;  and  towards  the  end  of  the  year  1489,  he 
caused  the  notorious  Hammer  for  Witches  (Malleus  Male- 
ficarum)  to  be  published,  according  to  which  proceedings 
were  set  on  foot  with  the  most  fanatical  zeal,  not  only  in 
Catholic,  but,  strange  to  say,  even  in  Protestant  Christen- 
dom, which  in  other  respects  abhorred  everything  belonging 
to  Catholicism.  Indeed,  the  Protestants  far  outdid  the 
Catholics  in  cruelty,  until,  among  the  latter,  the  noble- 
minded  Jesuit,  J.  Spee,  and  among  the  former,  but  not 
until  seventy  years  later,  the  excellent  Thcwnasius,  by  de- 
grees put  a  stop  to  these  horrors. 

After  careful  examination  into  the  nature  and  charac- 
teristics of  witchcraft,  I  soon  perceived  that  among  all  these 
strange  and  often  romantic  stories,  not  one  surpassed  my 
"  amber  witch"  in  lively  interest ;  and  I  determined  to  throw 
her  adventures  into  the  form  of  a  romance.  Fortunately, 
however,  I  was  soon  convinced  that  her  story  was  already 
in  itself  the  most  interesting  of  all  romances ;  and  that  I 
should  do  far  better  to  leave  it  in  its  original  antiquated 
form,  omitting  whatever  would  be  uninteresting  to  modern 

*  Horst,  Zauberbibliothek,  vi.,  p.  231. 


PREFACE.  vii 

readers,  or  so  universally  known  as  to  need  no  repetition. 
I  have  therefore  attempted,  not  indeed  to  supply  what  is 
missing  at  the  beginning  and  end,  but  to  restore  those 
leaves  which  have  been  torn  out  of  the  middle,  imitating,  as 
accurately  as  I  was  able,  the  language  and  manner  of  the 
old  biographer,  in  order  that  the  difference  between  the 
original  narrative,  and  my  own  interpolations,  might  not  be 
too  evident. 

This  I  have  done  with  much  trouble,  and  after  many  inef- 
fectual attempts  ;  but  I  refrain  from  pointing  out  the  parti- 
cular passages  which  I  have  supplied,  so  as  not  to  disturb 
the  historical  interest  of  the  greater  part  of  my  readers. 
For  modern  criticism,  which  has  now  attained  to  a  degree 
of  acuteness  never  before  equalled,  such  a  confession  would 
be  entirely  superfluous,  as  critics  will  easily  distinguish  the 
passages  where  Pastor  Schweidler  speaks  from  those  writ- 
ten by  Pastor  Meinhold. 

I  am,  nevertheless,  bound  to  give  the  public  some  account 
of  what  I  have  omitted,  namely, — 

1st.  Such  long  prayers  as  were  not  very  remarkable  for 
Christian  unction. 

2d.  Well  known  stories  out  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War. 

3d.  Signs  and  wonders  in  the  heavens,  which  were  seen 
here  and  there,  and  which  are  recorded  by  other  Pomera- 
nian writers  of  these  fearful  times  ;  for  instance,  by  Micrae- 
lius.*  But  when  these  events  formed  part  of  the  tale  itself, 
as,  for  instance,  the  cross  on  the  Streckelberg,  I,  of  course, 
allowed  them  to  stand. 

*  Vom  Alten  Pommerlande  (of  old  Pomerania),  book  v. 


PREFACE. 


4th.  The  specification  of  the  whole  income  of  the  church 
at  Coserow,  before  and  during  the  terrible  times  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War. 

5th.  The  enumeration  of  the  dwellings  left  standing,  after 
the  devastations  made  by  the  enemy  in  every  village 
throughout  the  parish. 

6th.  The  names  of  the  districts  to  which  this  or  that 
member  of  the  congregation  had  emigrated. 

7th.  A  ground  plan  and  description  of  the  old  Manse. 

I  have  likewise  here  and  there  ventured  to  make  a  few 

changes  in  the  language,  as  my  author  is  not  always  con- 

'  sistent  in  the  use  of  his  words  or  in  his  orthography.     The 

latter  I  have,  however,  with  very  few  exceptions,  retained. 

And  thus  I  lay  before  the  gracious  reader  a  work,  glow- 
ing with  the  fire  of  heaven,  as  well  as  with  that  of  hell. 

MEINIIOLD. 


CONTENTS, 


Page 
PREFACE          .        .  .  .  .  .  .  iii 

INTRODUCTION  »  .  .  .  ,  1 


CHAPTER  VII. 

How  the  Imperialists  robbed  me  of  all  that  was  left,  and  likewise 
broke  into  the  Church  and  stole  the  Vasa  Sacra  ;  item,  what  more 
befel  us  4 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

How  our  need  waxed  sorer  and  sorer,  and  how  I  sent  old  Use  with 
another  letter  to  Pudgla,  and  how  heavy  a  misfortune  this  brought 
upon  me  ........  13 

CHAPTER  IX. 

How  the  old  maid-servant  humbled  me  by  her  faith,  and  the  Lord  yet 
blessed  me  his  unworthy  servant  .  .  .  .  .26 

CHAPTER  X. 
How  we  journeyed  to  Wolgast,  and  made  good  barter  there    .  .      31 

CHAPTER  XI. 

How  I  fed  all  the  congregation :  item,  how  I  journeyed  to  the  horse- 
fair  at  Gtltzkow,  and  what  befel  me  there  .  .  .  .39 

CHAPTER  XII. 

What  further  joy  and  sorrow  befel  us :  item,  how  Wittich  Appelmann 
rode  to  Damerow  to  the  wolf-hunt,  and  what  he  proposed  to  my 
daughter  ........  45 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Page 

What  more  happened  during  the  Winter :  ifem^how  in  the  Spring  witch- 
craft began  in  the  village  .  .  .  .  .  .55 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

How  old  Seden  disappeared  all  on  a  sudden ;  item,  how  the  great  Gus- 
tavus  Adolphus  came  to  Pornerania,  and  took  the-  fort  at  Peene- 
miinde.  ........  58 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Of  the  arrival  of  the  high  and  mighty  King  Gustavus  Adolphus,  and 
what  befel  thereat  .......  65 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

How  little  Mary  Paasch  was  sorely  plagued  of  the  devil,  and  the  whole 
parish  fell  off  from  me  .  .  .  .  .  .  .71 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

How  my  poor  child  was  taken  up  for  a  witch,  and  was  carried  to 
Pudgla  ........  77 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Of  the  first  trial,  and  what  came  thereof  .  .  .  .81 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

How  Satan,  by  the  permission  of  the  most  righteous  God,  sought  alto- 
gether to  ruin  us,  and  how  we  lost  all  hope  .  .  .  .92 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Of  the  malice  of  the  Governor  and  old  Lizzie :  item,  of  the  examina- 
tion of  witnesses  .  .  .  .  .  .  .99 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
De  confrontations  testivm       .  .  .  .  .  .104 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Page 

How  the  Syndicus  Dom.  Michelsen  arrived,  and  prepared  his  defence 
of  my  poor  child  .......  110 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

How  my  poor  child  was  sentenced  to  be  put  to  the  question    .  .117 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

How  in  my  presence  the  devil  fetched  old  Lizzie  Kolken        .  .128 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

How  Satan  sifted  me  like  wheat,  whereas  my  daughter  withstood  him 
right  bravely  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .134 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

How  I  received  the  holy  Sacrament  with  my  daughter  and  the  old  maid- 
servant, and  how  she  was  then  led  for  the  last  time  before  the  court, 
with*  the  drawn  sword  and  the  outcry,  to  receive  sentence  .  .141 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Of  that  which  befel  us  by  the  way :  item,  of  the  fearful  death  of  the 
Sheriff  at  the  mill  .  .  .  .  .  .151 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

How  my  daughter  was  at  length  saved  by  the  help  of  the  all-merciful, 
yea,  of  the  all-merciful  God  .  .  .  .  .  .158 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Of  our  next  great  sorrow,  and  final  joy  .  .  .  .170 


THE  AMBER  WITCH. 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  origin  of  our  biographer  cannot  be  traced  with  any 
degree  of  certainty,  owing  to  the  loss  of  the  first  part  of 
his  manuscript.  It  is,  however,  pretty  clear  that  he  was 
not  a  Pomeranian,  as  he  says  he  was  in  Silesia  in  his 
youth,  and  mentions  relations  scattered  far  and  wide,  not 
only  at  Hamburg  and  Cologne,  but  even  at  Antwerp  ; 
above  all,  his  South-German  language  betrays  a  foreign 
origin,  and  he  makes  use  of  words  which  are,  I  believe, 
peculiar  to  Swabia.  He  must,  however,  have  been  living 
for  a  long  time  in  Pomerania  at  the  time  he  wrote,  as  he 
even  more  frequently  uses  Low-German  expressions,  such 
as  occur  in  contemporary  native  Pomeranian  writers. 

Since  he  sprang  from  an  ancient  noble  family,  as  he  says 
on  several  occasions,  it  is  possible  that  some  particulars 
relating  to  the  Schweidlers  might  be  discovered  in  the  fam- 
ily records  of  the  seventeenth  century  which  would  give  a 
clue  to  his  native  country ;  but  I  have  sought  for  that  name 
in  all  the  sources  of  information  accessible  to  me,  in  vain, 
and  am  led  to  suspect  that  our  author,  like  many  of  his 
contemporaries,  laid  aside  his  nobility  and  changed  his 
name  when  he  took  hcty  orders. 

I  will  not,  however,  venture  on  any  further  conjectures ; 
the  manuscript,  of  which  six  chapters  are  missing,  begins 
with  the  words  "  Imperialists  plundered,"  and  evidently  the 
2 


9  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [INTROD. 

previous  pages  must  have  contained  an  account  of  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War  in  the  Island  of 
Usedom.  It  goes  on  as  follows : — 

"Coffers,  chests,  and  closets  were  all  plundered  and  broken 
to  pieces,  and  my  surplice  also  was  torn,  so  that  I  remained  in 
great  distress  and  tribulation.  But  my  poor  little  daughter  they 
did  not  find,  seeing  that  I  had  hidden  her  in  the  stable,  which  was 
dark,  without  which  I  doubt  not  they  would  have  made  my  heart 
heavy  indeed.  The  lewd  dogs  would  even  have  been  rude  to 
my  old  maid  Use,  a  woman  hard  upon  fifty,  if  an  old  cornet 
had  not  forbidden  them.  Wherefore  I  gave  thanks  to  my  Maker 
when  the  wild  guests  were  gone,  that  I  had  first  saved  my- 
child  from  their  clutches,  although  not  one  dust  of  flour,  nor 
one  grain  of  corn,  nor  one  morsel  of  meat  even  of  a  finger's 
length  was  left,  and  I  knew  not  how  I  should  any  longer  sup- 
port my  own  life,  and  my  poor  child's.  Item,  I  thanked  God 
that  I  had  likewise  secured  the  vasa  sacra,  which  I  had  forth- 
with buried  in  the  church  in  front  of  the  altar,  in  presence  of 
the  two  churchwardens,  Hinrich  Seden  and  Glaus  Bulken,  of 
Uekeritze,  commending  them  to  the  care  of  God.  And  now 
because,  as  I  have  already  said,  I  was  suffering  the  pangs  of 
hunger,  I  wrote  to  his  lordship  the  Sheriff  Wittich  v.  Appel- 
rnann,  at  Pudgla,*  that  for  the  love  of  God  and  his  holy  Gospel 
he  should  send  me  that  which  his  highness'  grace  Philippus  Ju- 
lius had  allowed  me  as  prastanda  from  the  convent  at  Pudgla, 
to  wit,  thirty  bushels  of  barley  and  twenty-five  marks  of  silver, 
which,  howbeit  his  lordship  had  always  withheld  from  me  hith- 
erto (for  he  was  a  very  hard  inhuman  man,  inasmuch  as  he 
despised  the  holy  Gospel  and  the  preaching  of  the  Word,  and 
openly,  without  shame,  reviled  the  servants  of  God,  saying  that 
they  were  useless  feeders,  and  that  Luther  had  but  half  cleansed 
the  pigstye  of  the  church — God  mend  it !)  But  he  answered 
me  nothing,  and  I  should  have  perished  from  want  if  Hinrich 
Seden  had  not  begged  for  me  in  the  parish.  May  God  reward 
the  honest  fellow  for  it  in  eternity !  Moreover,  he  was  then 

*  A  castle  in  Usedom,  formerly  a  celebrated  convent 


INTROD.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  3 

growing  old,  and  was  sorely  plagued  by  his  wicked  wife  Lizzie 
Kolken.  Methought  when  I  married  them  that  it  would  not 
turn  out  over  well,  seeing  that  she  was  in  common  report  of 
having  long  lived  in  unchastity  with  Wittich  Appelmann,  who 
had  ever  been  an  arch-rogue,  and  especially  an  arrant  whore- 
master,  and  such  the  Lord  never  blesses.  This  same  Seflen 
now  brought  me  five  loaves,  two  sausages,  and  a  goose,  which 
old  goodwife  Paal,  at  Loddin,  had  given  him ;  also  a  flitch  of 
bacon  from  the  farmer  Jack  Tewert.  But  he  said  I  must  shield 
him  from  his  wife,  who  would  have  had  half  for  herself,  and 
when  he  denied  her  she  cursed  him,  and  wished  him  gout  in 
his  head,  whereupon  he  straightway  felt  a  pain  in  his  right 
cheek,  and  it  was  quite  hard  and  heavy  already.  At  such 
shocking  news  I  was  affrighted,  as  became  a  good  pastor,  and 
asked  whether  peradventure  he  believed  that  she  stood  in  evil 
communication  with  Satan,  and  could  bewitch  folks  ?  But  he 
said  nothing,  and  shrugged  his  shoulders.  So  I  sent  for  old 
Lizzie  to  come  to  me,  who  was  a  tall,  meagre  woman  of  about 
sixty,  with  squinting  eyes,  so  that  she  could  not  look  any  one 
in  the  face ;  likewise  with  quite  red  hair,  and  indeed  her  good- 
man  had  the  same.  But  though  I  diligently  admonished  her 
out  of  God's  word,  she  made  no  answer  until  at  last  I  said, 
'  Wilt  thou  unbewitch  my  goodman  (for  I  saw  from  the  window 
how  that  he  was  raving  in  the  street  lijce  a  madman),  or  wilt 
thou  that  I  should  inform  the  magistrate  of  thy  deeds  ?"  then, 
indeed,  she  gave  in,  and  promised  that  he  should  soon  be  better 
(and  so  he  was) ;  moreover  she  begged  that  I  would  give  her 
some  bread  and  some  bacon,  inasmuch  as  it  was  three  days 
since  she  had  had  a  bit  of  anything  to  put  between  her  lips, 
saving  always  her  tongue.  So  my  daughter  gave  her  half  a 
loaf,  and  a  piece  of  bacon  about  two  hands-breadths  large ; 
but  she  did  not  think  it  enough,  and  muttered  between  her  teeth  ; 
whereupon  my  daughter  said,  '  If  thou  art  not  content,  thou 
old  witch,  go  thy  ways  and  help  thy  goodman ;  see  how  he  has 
laid  his  head  on  Zabel's  fence,  and  stamps  with  his  feet  for 
pain.'  Whereupon  she  went  away,  but  still  kept  muttering  be- 
tween her  teeth,  'Yea,  forsooth,  I  will  help  him  and  thee  too.' ' 


THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vn. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

How  the  Imperialists  robbed  me  of  all  that  was  left,  and  likewise  broke  into 
the  Church  and  stole  the  Vasa  Sacra  ;  also  what  more  befel  us. 

AFTER  a  few  days,  when  we  had  eaten  almost  all  our  food,  my 
last  cow  fell  down  dead  (the  wolves  had  already  devoured  the 
others,  as  mentioned  above),  not  without  a  strong  suspicion  that 
Lizzie  had  a  hand  in  it,  seeing  that  the  poor  beast  had  eaten 
heartily  the  day  before  ;  but  I  leave  that  to  a  higher  judge,  see- 
ing that  I  would  not  willingly  calumniate  any  one  ;  and  it  may 
have  been  the  will  of  God,  whose  wrath  I  have  well  deserved. 
Summa,  I  was  once  more  in  great  need,  and  my  daughter  Mary 
pierced  my  heart  with  her  sighs,  when  the  cry  was  raised  that 
another  troop  of  Imperialists  was  come  to  Uekeritze,  and  was 
marauding  there  more  cruelly  than  ever,  and,  moreover,  had 
burnt  half  the  village.  Wherefore  I  no  longer  thought  myself 
safe  in  my  cottage  ;  and  after  I  had  commended  everything  to 
the  Lord  in  a  fervent  prayer,  I  went  up  with  my  daughter  and 
old  Use  into  the  Streckelberg,*  where  I  already  had  looked  out 
for  ourselves  a  hole  like  a  cavern,  well  grown  over  with  bram- 
bles, against  the  time  when  the  troubles  should  drive  us  thither. 
We  therefore  took  with  us  all  we  had  left  to  us  for  the  support  of 
our  bodies,  and  fled  into  the  woods,  sighing  and  weeping,  whi- 
ther we  soon  were  followed  by  the  old  men,  and  the  women  and 
children  ;  these  raised  a  great  cry  of  hunger  when  they  saw 
my  daughter  sitting  on  a  log  and  eating  a  bit  of  bread  and 
meat,  and  the  little  things  came  with  their  tiny  hands  stretched 
out  and  cried,  "  Have  some  too,  have  some  too."  Therefore, 
being  justly  moved  by  such  great  distress,  I  hindered  not  my 
daughter  from  sharing  all  the  bread  and  meat  that  remained 
among  the  hungry  children.  But  first  I  made  them  pray — 

*  A  considerable  mountain  close  to  the  sea  near  Coserow. 


CHAP,  vii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  5 

"  The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  thee  ;"*  upon  which  words  I  then 
spake  comfortably  to  the  people,  telling  them  that  the  Lord,  who 
had  now  fed  their  little  children,  would  find  means  to  fill  their 
own  bellies,  and  that  they  must  not  be  weary  of  trusting  in  him. 

This  comfort  did  not,  however,  last  long ;  for  after  we  had 
rested  within  and  around  the  cavern  for  about  two  hours,  the 
bells  in  the  village  began  to  ring  so  dolefully,  that  it  went  nigh 
to  break  all  our  hearts,  the  more  as  loud  firing  was  heard  be- 
tween whiles ;  item,  the  cries  of  men  and  the  barking  of  dogs 
resounded,  so  that  we  could  easily  guess  that  the  enemy  was 
in  the  village.  I  had  enough  to  do  to  keep  the  women  quiet, 
that  they  might  not  by  their  senseless  lamentations  betray  our 
hiding-place  to  the  cruel  enemy ;  and  more  still  when  it  began 
to  smell  smoky,  and  presently  the  bright  flames  gleamed  through 
the  trees.  I  therefore  sent  old  Paasch  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill, 
that  he  might  look  around  and  see  how  matters  stood,  but  told 
him  to  take  good  care  that  they  did  not  see  him  from  the  vil- 
lage, seeing  that  the  twilight  had  but  just  begun. 

This  he  promised,  and  soon  returned  with  the  news  that  about 
twenty  horsemen  had  galloped  out  of,  the  village  towards  the 
Damerow,  but  that  half  the  village  was  in  flames.  Item,  he 
told  us  that  by  a  wonderful  dispensation  of  Gdd  a  great  number 
of  birds  had  appeared  in  the  juniper-bushes  and  elsewhere,  and, 
that  if  we  could  catch  them  they  would  be  excellent  food  for 
us.  I  therefore  climbed  up  the  hill  myself,  and  having  found 
everything  as  he  had  said,  and  also  perceived  that  the  fire  had, 
by  the  help  of  God's  mercy,  abated  in  the  village ;  item,  that 
my  cottage  was  left  standing,  far  beyond  my  merits  and  de- 
serts ;  I  came  down  again  and  comforted  the  people,  saying, 
"  The  Lord  hath  given  us  a  sign,  and  he  will  feed  us,  as  he  fed 
the  people  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness ;  for  he  has  sent  us  a  fine 
flight  of  fieldfares  across  the  barren  sea,  so  that  they  whirr  out 
of  every  bush  as  ye  come  near  it.  Who  will  now  run  down  into 
the  village,  and  cut  off  the  mane  and  tail  of  my  dead  cow  which 
lies  out  behind  on  the  common  ?"  (for  there  was  no  horsehair 
in  all  the  village,  seeing  that  the  enemy  had  long  since  carried 

*  Ps.  cxlv.  15,  16.  • 


6  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vir. 

off  or  stabbed  all  the  horses).  But  no  one  would  go,  for  fear 
was  stronger  even  than  hunger,  till  my  old  Use  spoke,  and  said, 
i£  I  will  go,  for  I  fear  nothing,  when  I  walk  in  the  ways  of  God ; 
only  give  me  a  good  stick."  When  old  Paasch  had  lent  her  his 
staff,  she  began  to  sing,  "  God  the  Father  be  with  us,"  and  was 
soon  out  of  sight  among  the  bushes.  Meanwhile  I  exhorted  the 
people  to  set  to  work  directly,  and  to  cut  little  wands  for  springes, 
and  to  gather  berries  while  the  moon  still  shone ;  there  were  a 
great  quantity  of  mountain-ash  and  elder-bushes  all  about  the 
mountain.  I  myself  and  my  daughter  Mary  stayed  to  guard 
the  little  children,  because  it  was  not  safe  there  from  wolves. 
We  therefore  made  a  blazing  fire,  sat  ourselves  around  it,  and 
heard  the  little  folks  say  the  Ten  Commandments,  when  there 
was  a  rustling  and  crackling  behind  us,  and  my  daughter 
jumped  up  and  ran  into  the  cavern,  crying,  "  Proh  dolor  hos- 
tisf"*  But  it  was  only  some  of  the  able-bodied  men  who  had 
stayed  behind  in  the  village,  and  who  now  came  to  bring  us 
word  how  things  stood  there.  I  therefore  called  to  her  directly, 
"  Emergas  amid,"  whereupon  she  came  skipping  joyously  out, 
and  sat  down  again  by  the  fire,  and  forthwith  my  warden  Hin- 
rich  Seden  related  all  that  had  happened,  and  how  his  life  had 
only  been  saved  by  means  of  his  wife  Lizzie  Kolken ;  but  that 
Jurgen  Flatow,  Chim  Burse,  Glaus  Peer  and  Chim  Seideritz 
were  killed,  and  the  last  named  of  them  left  lying  on  the  church 
steps.  The  wicked  incendiaries  had  burned  down  twelve  sheds, 
and  it  was  not  their  fault  that  the  whole  village  was  not 
destroyed,  but  only  in  consequence  of  the  wind  not  being  in  the 
quarter  that  suited  their  purpose.  Meanwhile  they  tolled  the 
bells  in  mockery  and  scorn,  to  see  whether  any  one  would  come 
and  quench  the  fire ;  and  that  when  he  and  the  three  other 
young  fellows  came  forward  they  fired  off  their  muskets  at 
them,  but,  by  God's  help,  none  of  them  were  hit.  Hereupon 
his  three  comrades  jumped  over  the  paling  and  escaped  ;  but 
him  they  caught,  and  had  already  taken  aim  at  him  with  their 
firelocks,  when  his  wife  Lizzie  Kolken  came  out  of  the  church 
with  another  troop  and  beckoned  to  them  to  leave  him  in  peace. 

*  Our  author  afterwards  explains  the  learned  education  of  the  maiden. 


CHAP,  vii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH. 

But  they  stabbed  Lene  Hebers  as  she  lay  in  childbed,  speared 
the  child,  and  flung  it  over  Glaus  Peer's  hedge  among  the  net- 
tles, where  it  was  yet  lying  when  they  came  away.  There 
was  not  a  living  soul  left  in  the  village,  and  still  less  a  morsel 
of  bread,  so  that  unless  the  Lord  took  pity  on  their  need  they 
must  all  die  miserably  of  hunger. 

(Now  who  is  to  believe  that  such  people  can  call  themselves 
Christians !) 

I  next  inquired,  when  he  had  done  speaking  (but  with  many 
sighs,  as  any  one  may  guess),  after  my  cottage  ;  but  of  that  they 
knew  naught  save  that  it  was  still  standing.  I  thanked  the 
Lord  therefore  with  a  quiet  sigh ;  and  having  asked  old  Seden 
what  his  wife  had  been  doing  in  the  church,  I  thought  I  should 
have  died  for  grief  when  I  heard  that  the  villains  came  out  of 
it  with  both  the  chalices  and  patens  in  their  hands.  I  there- 
fore spoke  very  sharply  to  old  Lizzie,  who  now  came  slinking 
through  the  bushes ;  but  she  answered  insolently,  that  the 
strange  soldiers  had  forced  her  to  open  the  church,  as  her  good- 
man  had  crept  behind  the  hedge,  and  nobody  else  was  there  ; 
that  they  had  gone  straight  up  to  the  altar,  and  seeing  that  one 
of  the  stones  was  not  well  fitted  (which,  truly,  was  an  arch- 
lie),  had  begun  to  dig  with  their  swords  till  they  found  the  chal- 
ices and  patens  ;  or  somebody  else  might  have  betrayed  the  spot 
to  them,  so  I  need  not  always  to  lay  the  blame  on  her,  and  rate 
her  so  hardly. 

Meanwhile  the  old  men  and  the  women  came  with  a  good 
store  of  berries ;  item,  my  old  maid,  with  the  cow's  tail  and 
mane,  who  brought  word  that  the  whole  house  was  turned  up- 
side down,  the  windows  all  broken,  and  the  books  and  writings 
trampled  in  the  dirt  in  the  midst  of  the  street,  and  the  doors  torn 
off  their  hinges.  This,  however,  was  a  less  sorrow  to  me  than 
the  chalices ;  and  I  only  bade  the  people  make  springes  and  snares, 
in  order  next  morning  to  begin  our  fowling,  with  the  help  of 
Almighty  God.  I  therefore  scraped  the  rods  myself  until  near 
midnight ;  and  when  we  had  made  ready  a  good  quantity,  I  told 
old  Seden  to  repeat  the  evening  blessing,  which  we  all  heard  on 
our  knees  ;  after  which  I  wound  up  with  a  prayer,  and  then  ad- 
monished the  people  to  creep  in  under  the  bushes  to  keep  them 


THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vii. 


from  the  cold  (seeing  that  it  was  now  about  the  end  of  Septem- 
ber, and  the  wind  blew  very  fresh  from  the  sea),  the  men  apart, 
and  the  women  also  apart  by  themselves.  I  myself  went  up 
with  my  daughter  and  my  maid  into  the  cavern,  where  I  had  not 
slept  long  before  I  heard  old  Seden  moaning  bitterly  because, 
as  he  said,  he  was  seized  with  the  colic.  I  therefore  got  up  and 
gave  him  my  place,  and  sat  down  again  by  the  fire  to  cut 
springes,  till  I  fell  asleep  for  half  an  hour ;  and  then  morning 
broke,  and  by  that  time  he  had  got  better,  and  I  woke  the  peo- 
ple to  morning  prayer.  This  time  old  Paasch  had  to  say  it,  but 
could  not  get  through  with  it  properly,  so  that  I  had  to  help 
him.  Whether  he  had  forgot  it,  or  whether  he  was  frightened, 
I  cannot  say.  Summa.  After  we  had  all  prayed  most  devoutly, 
we  presently  set  to  work,  wedging  the  springes  into  the  trees, 
and  hanging  berries  all  around  them ;  while  my  daughter  took 
care  of  the  children,  and  looked  for  blackberries  for  their 
breakfast.  Now  we  wedged  the  snares  right  across  the  wood 
along  the  road  to  Uekeritze  ;  and  mark  what  a  wondrous  act  of 
mercy  befel  from  gracious  God  !  As  I  stepped  into  the  road 
with  the  hatchet  in  my  hand  (it  was  Seden  his  hatchet,  which 
he  had  fetched  out  of  the  village  early  in  the  morning),  I  caught 
sight  of  a  loaf  as  long  as  my  arm  which  a  raven  was  pecking, 
and  which  doubtless  one  of  the  Imperial  troopers  had  dropped 
out  of  his  knapsack  the  day  before,  for  there  were  fresh  hoof- 
marks  in  the  sand  by  it.  So  I  secretly  buttoned  the  breast  of 
my  coat  over  it,  so  that  none  should  perceive  anything,  although 
the  aforesaid  Paasch  was  close  behind  me  ;  item,  all  the  rest  fol- 
lowed at  no  great  distance.  Now,  having  set  the  springes  so 
very  early,  towards  noon  we  found  such  a  great  number  of  birds 
taken  in  them,  that  Katy  Berow,  who  went  beside  me  while  I 
took  them  out,  scarce  could  hold  them  all  in  her  apron  ;  and  at 
the  other  end  old  Pagels  pulled  nearly  as  many  out  of  his 
doublet  and  coat-pockets.  My  daughter  then  sat  down  with  the 
rest  of  the  womankind  to  pluck  the  birds ;  and  as  there  was  no 
salt  (indeed  it  was  long  since  most  of  us  had  tasted  any),  she 
desired  two  men  to  go  down  to  the  sea,  and  to  fetch  a  little  salt- 
water in  an  iron  pot  borrowed  from  Staffer  Zuter ;  and  so  they 
did.  In  this  water  we  first  dipped  the  birds,  and  then  roasted 


CHAP,  vir.]    '  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  9 

them  at  a  large  fire,  while  our  mouths  watered  only  at  the 
sweet  savor  of  them,  seeing  it  was  so  long  since  we  had  tasted 
any  food. 

And  now  when  all  was  ready,  and  the  people  seated  on  the 
earth,  I  said,  "  Behold  how  the  Lord  still  feeds  his  people  Israel 
in  the  wilderness  with  fresh  quails :  if  now  he  did  yet  more, 
and  sent  us  a  piece  of  manna  bread  from  heaven,  what  think 
ye  ?  Would  ye  then  ever  weary  of  believing  in  him,  and  not 
rather  willingly  endure  all  want,  tribulation,  hunger  and  thirst, 
which  he  may  hereafter  lay  upon  you  according  to  his  gracious 
will  ?"  Whereupon  they  all  answered  and  said,  "  Yea,  surely  !" 
Ego  :  "  Will  you  then  promise  me  this  in  truth  ?"  And  they 
said  again,  "  Yea,  that  will  we !"  Then  with  tears  I  drew 
forth  the  loaf  from  my  breast,  held  it  on  high,  and  cried,  "  Be- 
hold, then,  thou  poor  believing  little  flock,  how  sweet  a  manna 
loaf  your  faithful  Redeemer  hath  sent  ye  through  me !" 
Whereupon  they  all  wept,  sobbed,  and  groaned ;  and  the  little 
children  again  came  running  up  and  held  out  their  hands,  cry- 
ing, "  See,  bread,  bread  !"  But  as  I  myself  could  not  pray  for 
heaviness  of  soul,  I  bade  Paasch  his  little  girl  say  the  Gratias 
the  while  my  Mary  cut  up  the  loaf  and  gave  to  each  his  share. 
And  now  we  all  joyfully  began  to  eat  our  meat  from  God  in  the 
wilderness. 

Meanwhile  I  had  to  tell  in  what  manner  I  had  found  the 
blessed  manna  bread,  wherein  I  neglected  not  again  to  exhort 
them  to  lay  to  heart  this  great  sign  and  wonder,  how  that  God 
in  his  mercy  had  done  to  them  as  of  old  to  the  prophet  Elijah, 
to  whom  a  raven  brought  bread  in  his  great  need  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  as  likewise  this  bread  had  been  given  to  me  by  means  of 
a  raven,  which  showed  it  to  me,  when  otherwise  I  might  have 
passed  it  by  in  my  heaviness  without  ever  seeing  it. 

When  we  were  satisfied  with  food,  I  said  the  thanksgiving 
from  Luke  xii.  24,  where  the  Lord  saith,  "  Consider  the  ravens  :• 
for  they  neither  sow  nor  reap  ;  which  neither  have  storehouse 
nor  barn  ;  and  God  feedeth  them  :  hfow  much  more  are  ye  better 
than  the  fowls  ?"  But  our  sins  stank  before  the  Lord.  For  old 
Lizzie,  as  I  afterwards  heard,  would  not  eat  her  birds  because 
she  thought  them  unsavory,  but  threw  them  among  the  juniper 


10  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  VH. 

bushes  ;  whereupon  the  wrath  of  the  Lord  was  kindled  against 
us  as  of  old  against  the  people  of  Israel,  and  at  night  we  found 
but  seven  birds  in  the  snares,  and  next  morning  but  two.  Nei- 
ther did  any  raven  come  again  to  give  us  bread.  Wherefore  I 
rebuked  old  Lizzie,  and  admonished  the  people  to  take  upon 
themselves  willingly  the  righteous  chastisement  of  the  Most 
High  God,  to  pray  without  ceasing,  to  return  to  their  desolate 
dwellings,  and  to  see  whether  the  all-merciful  God  would  per- 
adventure  give  them  more  on  the  sea.  That  I  also  would  call 
upon  him  with  prayer  night  and  day,  remaining  for  a  time  in 
the  cavern  with  my  daughter  and  the  maid  to  watch  the  springes, 
and  see  whether  his  wrath  might  be  turned  from  us.  That  they 
should  meanwhile  put  my  manse  to  rights  to  the  best  of  their 
power,  seeing  that  the  cold  was  become  very  irksome  to  me. 
This  they  promised  me,  and  departed  with  many  sighs.  What 
a  little  flock  !  I  counted  but  twenty-five  souls  where  there  used 
to  be  above  eighty  ;  all  the  rest  had  been  slain  by  hunger, 
pestilence,  or  the  sword.*  I  then  abode  awhile  alone  and  sor- 
rowing in  the  cave,  praying  to  God,  and  sent  my  daughter  with 
the  maid  into  the  village  to  see  how  things  stood  at  the  manse  ; 
item,  to  gather  together  books  and  papers,  and  also  to  bring  me  word 
whether  Hinze  the  carpenter,  whom  I  had  straightway  sent  back 
to  the  village,  had  knocked  together  some  coffins  for  the  poor 
corpses,  so  that  I  might  bury  them  next  day.  I  then  went  to 
look  at  the  springes,  but  found  only  one  single  little  bird, 
whereby  I  saw  that  the  wrath  of  God  had  not  yet  passed  away. 
Howbeit,  I  found  a  fine  blackberry  bush,  from  which  I  gathered 
nearly  a  pint  of  berries,  and  put  them,  together  with  the  bird, 
in  Staffer  Zuter  his  pot,  which  the  honest  fellow  had  left  with 
us  for  a  while,  and  set  them  on  the  fire  for  supper  against  my 
child  and  the  maid  should  return.  It  was  not  long  before  they 
mine  through  the  coppice,  and  told  me  of  the  fearful  devasta- 
tion which  Satan  had  made  in  the  village  and  manse  by  the 
permission  of  all-righteous  God.  My  child  had  gathered  to- 

•This  took  place  in  the  year  1028,  and  the  horrors  of  the  Thirty  Years' 
War  were  spread  most  fearfully  over  this  island :  pity  that  the  description 
of  the  old  vicar,  which  he  doubtless  gave  in  the  preceding  pages;  has  been 
lost. 


CHAP,  vii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  11 

gether  a  few  books,  which  she  brought  with  her,  above  all,  a 
Virgilius  and  a  Greek  Bible.  And  after  she  had  told  me  that 
the  carpenter  would  not  have  done  till  next  day,  and  we  had 
satisfied  the  cravings  of  hunger,  I  made  her  read  to  me  again, 
for  the  greater  strengthening  of  my  faith,  the  locus  about  the 
blessed  raven  from  the  Greek  of  Luke,  at  the  12th  chapter ; 
also,  the  beautiful  locus  parallelus,  Matt.  vi.  After  which  the 
maid  said  the  evening  blessing,  and  we  all  went  into  the  cave 
to  rest  for  the  night.  When  I  awoke  next  morning,  just  as  the 
blessed  sun  rose  out  the  sea  and  peeped  over  the  mountain,  I 
heard  my  poor  hungry  child  already  standing  outside  the  cave, 
reciting  the  beautiful  verses  about  the  joys  of  paradise  which 
St.  Augustine  wrote  and  I  had  taught  her.*  She  sobbed  for 
grief  as  she  spoke  the  words  : 

Uno  pane  vivunt  cives  utriusque  patriffi 
Avidi  et  semper  pleni,  quod  habent  desiderant 
Non  sacietas  fastidit,  neque  fames  cruciat 
Inhiantes  semper  edunt,  et  edentes  inhiant 
Flos  perpetuus  rosarum  ver  agit  perpetuum, 
Candent  lilia,  rubescit  crocus,  sudat  balsamum, 
Virent  prata,  vernant  sata,  rivi  mellis  influunt 
Pigmentorum  spirat  odor  liquor  et  aromatum, 
Pendent  poma  floridorum  non  lapsura  nemorum 
Non  alternat  luna  vices,  sol  vel  cursus  syderum 
Agnus  est  fcelicis  urbis  lumen  inocciduum."f 

*  This  is  an  error.  The  following  verses  are  written  by  the  Cardinal 
Bishop  of  Ostia,  Peter  Damianus  (d.  23rd  Feb.,  1072),  after  Augustine's 
prose. 

t  The  following  version  is  from  the  pen  of  a  friend. —  Trans. 
"  In  that  far  land  the  citizens  all  share  one  equal  bread, 

And  keep  desire  and  hunger  still,  although  to  fulness  fed  : 

Unwearied  by  satiety,  unracked  by  hunger's  strife, 

The  air  they  breathe  is  nourishment,  and  spiritual  life  ! 

Around  them,  bright  with  endless  Spring,  perpetual  roses  bloom  ; 
•Warm  balsams  gratefully  exude  luxurious  perfume  ; 

Red  crocuses,  and  lilies  white,  shine  dazzling  in  the  sun  ; 

Green  meadows  yield  them  harvests  green,  and  streams  with  honey  run  ; 

Unbroken  droop  the  laden  boughs,  with  heavy  fruitage  bent, 

Of  incense  and  of  odors  strange  the  air  is  redolent ; 

And  neither  sun,  nor  moon,  nor  stars,  dispense  their  changeful  light, 

But  the  Lamb's  eternal  glory  makes  the  happy  city  bright !" 


12  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vn. 

At  these  words  my  own  heart  was  melted  ;  and  when  she 
ceased  from  speaking,  I  asked,  "  What  art  thou  doing,  my 
child  ?"  Whereupon  she  answered,  "  Father,  I  am  eating." 
Thereat  my  tears  now  indeed  began  to  flow,  and  I  praised  her 
for  feeding  her  soul,  as  she  had  no  meat  for  her  body.  I  had 
not,  however,  spoken  long,  before  she  cried  to  me  to  come  and 
look  at*  the  great  wonder  that  had  risen  out  of  the  sea,  and 
already  appeared  over  the  cave.  For  behold  a  cloud,  in  shape 
just  like  a  cross,  came  over  us,  and  let  great  heavy  drops,  as 
big  or  bigger  than  large  peas,  fall  on  our  heads,  after  which  it 
sank  behind  the  coppice.  I  presently  arose,  and  ran  up  the 
mountain  with  my  daughter  to  look  after  it.  It  floated  on 
towards  the  Achterwater,*  where  it  spread  itself  out  into  a  long 
blue  streak,  whereon  the  sun  shone  so  brightly  that  it  seemed 
like  a  golden  bridge,  on  which,  as  my  child  said,  the  blessed 
angels  danced.  I  fell  on  my  knees  with  her,  and  thanked  the 
Lord  that  our  cross  had  passed  away  from  us  ;  but,  alas !  our 
cross  was  yet  to  come,  as  will  be  told  hereafter. 

*  A  wash  formed  by  the  River  Peene  in  the  neighborhood. 


CHAP,  viii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  13 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

How  our  need  waxed  sorer  and  sorer,  and  how  I  sent  old  Use  with  another 
letter  to  Pudgla,  and  how  heavy  a  misfortune  this  brought  upon  me. 

NEXT  day,  when  I  had  buried  the  poor  corpses  amid  the  la- 
mentations of  the  whole  village  (by  the  same  token  that  they 
were  all  buried  under  where  the  lime-tree  overhangs  the 
wall*),  I  heard  with  many  sighs  that  neither  the  sea  nor  the 
Achterwater  would  yield  anything.  It  was  now  ten  days  since 
the  poor  people  had  caught  a  single  fish.  I  therefore  went  out 
into  the  field,  musing  how  the  wrath  of  the  just  God  might  be 
turned  from  us,  seeing  that  the  cruel  winter  was  now  at  hand, 
and  neither  corn,  apples,  fish  nor  flesh,  to  be  found  in  the  vil- 
lage, nor  even  throughout  all  the  parish.  There  was  indeed 
plenty  of  game  in  the  forests  of  Corserow  and  Uekeritze  ;  but 
the  old  forest  ranger,  Zabel  Nehring,  had  died  last  year  of  the 
plague,  and  there  was  no  new  one  in  his  place.  Nor  was  there 
a  musket  nor  a  grain  of  powder  to  be  found  in  all  the  parish  ; 
the  enemy  had  robbed  and  broken  everything :  we  were  there- 
fore forced,  day  after  day,  to  see  how  the  stags  and  the  roes,  the 
hares  and  the  wild  boars,  et  cet.,  ran  past  us,  when  we  would 
so  gladly  have  had  them  in  our  bellies,  but  had  no  means  of 
getting  at  them  :  for  they  were  too  cunning  to  let  themselves  be 
caught  in  pit-falls.  Nevertheless,  Glaus  Peer  succeeded  in 
trapping  a  roe,  and  gave  me  a  piece  of  it,  for  which  may  God 
reward  him.  Item,  of  domestic  cattle  there  was  not  a  head 
left ;  neither  was  there  a  dog  nor  a  cat,  which  the  people  had 
not  either  eaten  in  their  extreme  hunger,  or  knocked  on  the 
head,  or  drowned  long  since.  Albeit  old  farmer  Paasch  still 
owned  two  cows  ;  item,  an  old  man  in  Uekeritze  was  said  to 

*  This  exists  no  longer. 


14  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vin. 

have  one  little  pig  : — this  was  all.  Thus,  then,  nearly  all  the 
people  lived  on  blackberries  and  other  wild  fruits  ;  the  which 
also  soon  grew  to  be  scarce,  as  may  easily  be  guessed.  Be- 
sides all  this,  a  boy  of  fourteen  was  missing  (old  Labahn  his 
son)  and  was  never  more  heard  of,  so  that  I  shrewdly  think  that 
the  wolves  devoured  him. 

And  now  let  any  Christian  judge  by  his  own  heart  in  what 
sorrow  and  heaviness  I  took  my  staff  in  my  hand,  seeing  that 
my  child  fell   away  like  a  shadow  from  pinching  hunger  ;  al- 
though I  myself,  being  old,  did  not,  by  the  help  of  God's  mer- 
cy, find  any  great  failing  in  my  strength.     While  I  thus  went 
continually  weeping  before  the  Lord,  on  the  way  to  Uekeritze, 
I  fell  in  with  an  old  beggar  with  his  wallet,  sitting  on  a  stone, 
and  eating  a  piece  of  God's  rare  gift,  to  wit,  a  bit  of  bread. 
Then  truly  did  my  poor  mouth  so  fill  with  water,  that  I  was 
forced  to  bow  my  head  and  let  it  run  upon  the  earth  before  I 
could  ask,  "  Who  art  thou  ?  and  whence  comest  thou  ?  seeing 
that  thou  hast  bread."     Whereupon  he  answered  that  he  was 
a  poor  man  of  Bennemin,  from  whom  the  enemy  had  taken  all ; 
and  as  he  had  heard  that  the  Lieper  Winkel*  had  long  been  in 
peace,  he  had  travelled  thither  to  beg.     I  straightway  answer- 
ed him,  "  Oh,  poor  beggarman,  spare  to  me,  a  sorrowful  ser- 
vant of  Christ,  who  is  poorer  even  than  thyself,  one  little  slice 
of  bread  for  his  wretched  child  ;  for  thou  must  know  that  I  am 
the  pastor  of  this  village,  and  that  my  daughter  is  dying  of 
hunger.     I  beseech  thee  by  the  living  God  not  to  let  me  depart 
without  taking  pity  on  me,  as  pity  also  hath  been  shown  to  thee  !" 
But  the  beggarman  would  give  me  none,  saying  that  he  hiju- 
self  had  a  wife  and  four  children,  who  were  likewise  stagger- 
ing towards  death's  door  under  the  bitter  pangs  of  hunger ; 
that  the  famine  was  sorer  far  in  Bennemin  than  here,  where  we 
still    had   berries ;  whether   I   had  not   heard  that  but  a  few 
days  ago  a  woman  (he  told  me  her  name,  but  horror  made  me 
forget  it)  had  there  killed  her  own  child,  and  devoured  it  from 

*  A  remote  part  of  the  Island  of  Usedom. 


CHAP,  viii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  15 

hunger  ?*  That  he  could  not  therefore  help  me,  and  I  might  go 
to  the  Lieper  Winkel  myself. 

I  was  horror-stricken  at  his  tale,  as  is  easy  to  guess,  for  we 
in  our  own  trouble  had  not  yet  heard  of  it,  there  being  little  or 
no  traffic  between  one  village  and  another ;  and  thinking  on 
Jerusalem,f  and  sheer  despairing  because  the  Lord  had  visited 
us,  as  of  old  that  ungodly  city,  although  we  had  not  betrayed 
or  crucified  him,  I  almost  forgot  all  my  necessities,  and  took 
my  staff  in  my  hand  to  depart.  But  I  had  not  gone  more  than 
a  few  yards  when  the  beggar  called  me  to  stop,  and  when  I 
turned  myself  round  he  came  towards  me  with  a  good  hunch 
of  bread  which  he  had  taken  out  of  his  wallet,  and  said, 
"  There  !  but  pray  for  me  also,  so  that  I  may  reach  my  home  ; 
for  if  on  the  road  they  smell  that  I  have  bread,  my  own  brother 
would  strike  me  dead,  I  believe."  This  I  promised  with  joy, 
and  instantly  turned  back  to  take  to  my  child  the  gift  hidden 
in  my  pocket.  And  behold,  when  I  came  to  the  road  which 
leads  to  Loddin,  I  could  scarce  trust  my  eyes  (before  I  had 
overlooked  it  in  my  distress)  when  I  saw  my  glebe,  which 
could  produce  seven  bushels,  ploughed,  sown,  and  in  stalk  ;  the 
blessed  crop  of  rye  had  already  shot  lustily  out  of  the  earth  a 
finger's  length  in  height.  I  could  not  choose  but  think  that  the 
Evil  One  had  deceived  me  with  a  false  show,  yet  however  hard  I 
rubbed  my  eyes,  rye  it  was,  and  rye  it  remained.  And  seeing 
that  old  Paasch  his  piece  of  land  which  joined  mine  was  in  like 
manner  sown,  and  that  the  blades  had  shot  up  to  the  same 
height,  I  soon  guessed  that  the  good  fellow  had  done  this  deed, 
seeing  that  all  the  other  land  lay  waste.  Wherefore,  I  readily 
forgave  him  for  not  knowing  the  morning  prayer  ;  and  thank- 
ing the  Lord  for  so  much  love  from  my  flock,  and  earnestly 
beseeching  him  to  grant  me  strength  and  faith  to  bear  with 
them  steadfastly  and  patiently  all  the  troubles  and  adversities 
which  it  might  please  him  henceforward  to  lay  upon  us,  accord- 
ing to  his  divine  pleasure,  I  ran  rather  than  walked  back  into 
the  village  to  old  Paasch  his  farm,  where  I  found  him  just  about 

*  Micraelius  also  mentions  this  horrible  event  in  his  history  of  Pomerania 
•  t  Where,  according  to  Josephus,  the  same  thing  occurred. 


16  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vm. 

to  kill  his  cow,  which  he  was  slaughtering  from  grim  hunger. 
"  God  bless  thee,"  said  I,  "  worthy  friend,  for  sowing  my  field, 
how  shall  I  reward  thee  ?"     But  the  old  man  answered,  "Let 
that  be,  and  do  you  pray  for  us  ;"  and  when  I  gladly  promised 
this,  and  asked  him  how  he  had  kept  his  corn  safe  from  the 
savage  enemy,  he  told  me  that  he  had  hidden  it  secretly  in  the 
caves  of  Streckelberg,  but  that  now  all  his  store  was  used  up. 
Meanwhile  he  cut  a  fine  large  piece  of  meat  from  the  top  of  the 
loin,  and  said,  "  There  is  something  for  you,  and  when  that  is 
gone  you  can  come  again  for  more."     As  I  was  then  about  to 
go  with  many  thanks,  his   little  Mary,  a  child   nearly  seven 
years  old,  the  same  who  had  said  the  Gratias  on  the  Streckel- 
berg,  seized  me  by  the  hand,  and  wanted  to  go  to  school  to  my 
daughter  ;  for  since  my  Gustos,  as  above  mentioned,  departed 
this  life  in  the  plague,  she  had  to  teach  the  few  little  ones  there 
were  in  the  village  ;  this,  however,  had  long  been  abandoned. 
I  could  not,  therefore,  deny  her,  although  I   feared  that  my 
child  would  share  her  bread  with  her,  seeing  that  she  dearly 
loved  the  little  maid,  who  was  her  godchild  ;  and  so  indeed  it 
happened  ;  for  when  the  child  saw  me  take  out  the  bread,  she 
shrieked  for  joy,  and  began  to  scramble  up  on  the  bench.  Thus 
she  also  got  a  piece  of  the  slice,  our  maid  got  another,  and  my 
child  put  the  third  piece  into  her  own  mouth,  as  I  wished  for 
none,   but  said  that  I  felt  no  signs  of  hunger   and  would   wait 
until  the  meat  was  boiled,  the  which  I   now  threw  upon  the 
bench.     It  was  a  goodly  sight  to  see  the  joy  which  my  poor 
child   felt,  when  I  then  also  told  her  about  the  rye.     She  fell 
upon  my  neck,  wept,  sobbed,  then  took  the  little  one  up  in  her 
arms,  danced  about  the  room  with  her,  and  recited,  as  she  was 
wont,  all   manner  of  Latin  versus,  which   she   knew   by  heart. 
Then  she  would  prepare  a  right  good  supper  for  us,  as  a  little 
salt  was  still  left  in  the  bottom  of  a  barrel  of  meat  which  the 
Imperialists  had  broken  up.     I  let  her  take  her  own  way,  and 
having  scraped   some  soot  from  the  chimney  and  mixed  it  with 
water,  I  tore  a  blank  leaf  out  of  "  Virgilius,"  and  wrote  to  the 
Pastor  Liepensis,  his  reverence  Abraham  Tiburtius,  praying 
that  for  God  his  sake  he  would  take  our  necessities  to  heart, 
and  would   exhort  his  parishioners    to  save  us  from  dying  of 


CHAP,  vni.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  17 

grim  hunger,  and  charitably  to  spare  to  us  some  meat  and 
drink,  according  as  the  all-merciful  God  had  still  left  some  to 
them,  seeing  that  a  beggar  had  told  me  that  they  had  long  been 
in  peace  from  the  terrible  enemy.  I  knew  not,  however, 
wherewithal  to  seal  the  letter,  until  I  found  in  the  church  a  lit- 
tle wax  still  sticking  to  a  wooden  altar-candlestick,  which  the 
Imperialists  had  not  thought  it  worth  their  while  to  steal,  for 
they  had  only  taken  the  brass  ones.  I  sent  three  fellows  in  a 
boat  with  Hinrich  Seden,  the  church- warden,  with  this  letter 
to  Liepe. 

First,  however,  I  asked  my  old  Use,  who  was  borne  in  Liepe, 
whether  she  would  not  rather  return  home,  seeing  how  matters 
stood,  and  that  I,  for  the  present  at  least,  could  not  give  her  a 
stiver  of  her  wages  (mark  that  she  had  already  saved  up  a 
small  sum,  seeing  that  she  had  lived  in  my  service  above  twenty 
years,  but  the  soldiers  had  taken  it  all).  Howbeit,  I  could  no- 
wise persuade  her  to  this,  but  she  wept  bitterly,  and  besought 
me  only  to  let  her  stay  with  the  good  damsel  whom  she  had 
rocked  in  her  cradle.  She  would  cheerfully  hunger  with  us  if 
it  needs  must  be,  so  that  she  were  not  turned  away.  Where- 
upon, I  yielded  to  her,  and  the  others  went  alone. 

Meanwhile  the  broth  was  ready,  but  scarce  had  we  said  the 
Graiias,  and  were  about  to  begin  our  meal,  when  all  the  child- 
ren of  the  village,  seven  in  number,  came  to  the  door,  and 
wanted  bread,  as  they  had  heard  we  had  some  from  my  daugh- 
ter her  little  godchild.  Her  heart  again  melted,  and  notwith- 
standing I  besought  her  to  harden  herself  against  them,  she 
comforted  me  with  the  message  to  Liepe,  and  poured  out  for 
each  child  a  portion  of  broth  on  a  wooden  platter  (for  these  also 
had  been  despised  by  the  enemy),  and  put  into  their  little  hands 
a  bit  of  meat,  so  that  all  our  store  was  eaten  up  at  once.  We 
were,  therefore,  left  fasting  next  morning,  till  towards  midday, 
when  the  whole  village  gathered  together  in  a  meadow  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  to  see  the  boat  return.  But,  God  be  merci- 
ful to  us,  we  had  cherished  vain  hopes !  six  loaves  and  a  sheep, 
item,  a  quarter  of  apples,  was  all  they  had  brought.  His  reve- 
rence Abraham  Tiburtius  wrote  to  me  that  after  the  cry  of 
their  wealth  had  spread  through  the  island,  so  many  beggars 

3 


18  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vin. 

had  flocked  thither  that  it  was  impossible  to  be  just  to  all,  see- 
ing  that  they  themselves  did  not  know  how,  it  might  fare  with 
them  in  these  heavy  troublous  times.  Meanwhile  he  would  see 
whether  he  could  raise  any  more.  I  therefore  with  many  sighs 
had  the  small  pittance  carried  to  the  manse,  and  though  two 
loaves  were,  as  Pastor  Liepensis  said  in  his  letter,  for  me  alone, 
I  gave  them  up  to  be  shared  among  all  alike,  whereat  all  were 
content  save  Seden  his  squint-eyed  wife,  who  would  have  had 
somewhat  extra  on  the  score  of  her  husband's  journey,  which, 
however,  as  may  be  easily  guessed,  she  did  not  get ;  wherefore 
she  again  muttered  certain  words  between  her  teeth  as  she  went 
away,  which,  however,  no  one  understood.  Truly  she  was  an 
ill  woman,  and  not  to  be  moved  by  the  word  of  God. 

Any  one  may  judge  for  himself  that  such  a  store  could  not 
last  long ;  and  all  my  parishioners  felt  an  ardent  longing 
after  spiritual  food,  and  as  I  and  the  churchwardens  could  only 
get  together  about  sixteen  farthings  in  the  whole  parish,  which 
was  not  enough  to  buy  bread  and  wine,  the  thought  struck  me 
once  more  to  inform  my  lord  the  Sheriff  of  our  need.  With 
how  heavy  a  heart  I  did  this  may  be  easily  guessed,  but  neces- 
sity knows  no  law.  I  therefore  tore  the  last  blank  leaf  out  of 
"  Virgilius,"  and  begged  that,  for  the  sake  of  the  Holy  Trinity, 
his  lordship  would  mercifully  consider  mine  own  distress  and 
that  of  the  whole  parish,  and  bestow  a  little  money  to  enable 
me  to  administer  the  holy  sacrament  for  the  comfort  of  afflicted 
souls ;  also,  if  possible,  to  buy  a  cup,  were  it  only  of  tin,  since 
the  enemy  had  plundered  us  of  ours,  and  I  should  otherwise  be 
forced  to  consecrate  the  sacred  elements  in  an  earthen  vessel. 
Item,  I  besought  him  to  have  pity  on  our  bodily  wants,  and  at 
last  to  send  me  the  first-fruits  which  had  stood  over  for  so  many 
years.  That  I  did  not  want  it  for  myself  alone,  but  would 
willingly  share  it  with  my  parishioners,  until  such  time  as  God 
in  his  mercy  should  give  us  more. 

Here  a  huge  blot  fell  upon  my  paper ;  for  the  windows  being 
boarded  up,  the  room  was  dark,  and  but  little  light  came 
through  two  small  panes  of  glass,  which  I  had  broken  out  of  the 
church,  and  stuck  in  between  the  boards  ;  this,  perhaps,  was 
the  reason  why  I  did  not  see  better.  However,  as  I  could  not 


CHAP,  vin.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  19 

anywhere  get  another  piece  of  paper,  I  let  it  pass,  and  ordered 
the  maid,  whom  I  sent  with  the  letter  to  Pudgla,  to  excuse  the 
same  to  his  lordship  the  Sheriff,  the  which  she  promised  to  do ; 
seeing  that  I  could  not  add  a  word  more  on  the  paper,  as  it  was 
written  all  over.  I  then  sealed  it  as  I  had  done  before. 

But  the  poor  creature  came  back  trembling  for  fear,  and  bit- 
terly weeping,  and  said  that  his  lordship  had  kicked  her  out  of 
the  castle-gate,  and  had  threatened  to  set  her  in  the  stocks  if 
she  ever  came  before  him  again.  "Did  the  parson  think  that 
he  was  as  free  with  his  money  as  I  seemed  to  be  with  my  ink  ? 
I  surely  had  water  enough  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  where- 
withal. For  if  the  Son  of  God  had  once  changed  the  water 
into  wine,  he  could  surely  do  the  like  again.  If  I  had  no  cup, 
I  might  water  my  flock  out  of  a  bucket  as  he  did  himself;" 
with  many  more  blasphemies,  such  as  he  afterwards  wrote  to 
me,  and  by  which,  as  may  easily  be  guessed,  I  was  filled  with 
horror.  Touching  the  first-fruits,  as  she  told  me,  he  said  no- 
thing at  all.  In  such  great  spiritual  and  bodily  need  the  blessed 
Sunday  came  round,  when  nearly  all  the  congregation  would 
have  come  to  the  Lord's  table,  but  could  not.  I  therefore  spoke 
on  the  words  of  St.  Augustine,  crede  et  manducasti,  and  repre- 
sented that  the  blame  was  not  mine,  and  truly  told  what  had 
happened  to  my  poor  maid  at  Pudgla,  passing  over  much  in 
silence,  and  only  praying  God  to  awaken  the  hearts  of  magis- 
trates for  our  good.  Peradventure  I  may  have  spoken  more 
harshly  than  I  meant.  I  know  not ;  only  that  I  spoke  that' 
which  was  in  my  heart.  At  the  end  I  made  all  the  congrega- 
tion stay  on  their  knees  for  nearly  an  hour,  and  call  upon  the 
Lord  for  his  holy  sacrament;  item,  for  the  relief  of  their  bodily 
wants,  as  had  been  done  every  Sunday,  and  at  all  the  daily 
prayers  I  had  been  used  to  read  ever  since  the  heavy  time  of 
the  plague.  Last  of  all,  I  led  the  glorious  hymn,  "  When'  in 
greatest  need  we  be;"  which  was  no  sooner  finished  than  my 
new  churchwarden,  Glaus  Bulk  of  Uekeritze,  who  had  formerly 
been  a  groom  with  his  lordship,  and  whom  he  had  now  put  into 
a  farm,  ran  off  to  Pudgla,  and  told  him  all  that  had  taken  place 
in  the  church.  Whereat  his  lordship  was  greatly  angered,  in- 
somuch that  he  summoned  the  whole  parish,  which  still  num- 


20  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  viu 

bered  about  150  souls,  without  counting  the  children,  and  dic- 
tated ad  protocollum  whatsoever  they  could  remember  of  the 
sermon,  seeing  that  he  meant  to  inform  his  Princely  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Pomerania  of  the  blasphemous  lies  which  I  had  vom- 
ited against  him,  and  which  must  sorely  offend  every  Christian 
heart.  Item,  what  an  avaricious  wretch  I  must  be  to  be  always 
wanting  something  of  him,  and  to  be  daily,  so  to  say,  pestering 
him  in  these  hard  times  with  my  filthy  letters,  when  he  had  not 
enough  to  eat  himself.  This  he  said  should  break  the  parson 
his  neck,  since  his  princely  grace  did  all  that  he  asked  of  him ; 
and  that  no  one  in  the  parish  need  give  me  anything  more,  but 
only  let  me  go  my  ways.  He  would  soon  take  care  that  they 
should  have  quite  a  different  sort  of  parson  from  what  I  was. 

(Now  I  would  like  to  see  the  man  who  could  make  up  his 
mind  to  come  into  the  midst  of  such  wretchedness  at  all.) 

This  news  was  brought  to  me  in  the  selfsame  night,  and  gave 
me  a  great  fright,  as  I  now  saw  that  I  should  not  have  a  gra- 
cious master  in  his  lordship,  but  should  all  the  time  of  my  mis- 
erable life,  even  if  I  could  anyhow  support  it,  find  in  him  an 
ungracious  lord.  But  I  soon  felt  some  comfort,  when  Chim 
Kruger  from  Uekeritze,  who  brought  me  the  news,  took  a  little 
bit  of  his  sucking-pig  out  of  his  pocket  and  gave  it  to  me. 
Meanwhile  old  Paasch  came  in  and  said  the  same,  and  likewise 
brought  me  a  piece  of  his  old  cow  ;  item,  my  other  warden, 
Hinrich  Seden,  with  a  slice  of  bread,  and  a  fish  which  he  had 
taken  in  his  net ;  all  saying  they  wished  for  no  better  priest 
than  me,  and  that  I  was  only  to  pray  to  the  merciful  Lord  to 
bestow  more  upon  them,  whereupon  I  should  want  for  nothing. 
Meanwhile  I  must  be  quiet  and  not  betray  them.  All  this  I 
promised  ;  and  my  daughter  Mary  took  the  blessed  gifts  of  God 
off  the  table  and  carried  them  into  the  inner  chamber.  But, 
alas !  next  morning,  when  she  would  have  put  the  meat  into  the 
cauldron,  it  was  all  gone.  I  know  not  who  prepared  this  new 
sorrow  for  me,  but  much  believe  it  was  Hinrich  Seden  his 
wicked  wife,  seeing  he  can  never  hold  his  tongue,  and  most 
likely  told  her  everything.  Moreover,  Paasch  his  little  daugh- 
ter saw  that  she  had  meat  in  her  pot  next  day ;  item,  that  she 
had  quarrelled  with  her  husband,  and  had  flung  the  fish-board 


CHAP,  viii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  21 

at  him,  whereon  some  fresh  fish-scales  were  sticking :  she  had, 
however,  presently  recollected  herself  when  she  saw  the  child- 
(Shame  on  thee,  thou  old  witch,  it  is  true  enough,  I  dare  say !) 
Hereupon  naught  was  left  us  but  to  feed  our  poor  souls  with 
the  word  of  God.  But  even  our  souls  were  so  cast  down  that 
they  could  receive  naught,  any  more  than  our  bellies ;  my  poor 
child,  especially,  from  day  to  day  grew  paler,  greyer,  and  yel- 
lower, and  always  threw  up  all  her  food,  seeing  she  ate  it  with- 
out salt  or  bread.  I  had  long  wondered  that  the  bread  from 
Liepe  was  not  yet  done,  but  that  every  day  at  dinner  I  still  had 
a  morsel.  I  had  often  asked,  "  Whence  comes  all  this  blessed 
bread  ?  I  believe,  after  all,  you  save  the  whole  for  me,  and 
take  none  for  yourself  or  the  maid."  But  they  both  then  lifted 
to  their  mouths  a  piece  of  fir-tree  bark,  which  they  had  cut  to 
look  like  bread,  and  laid  by  their  plates ;  and  as  the  room  was 
dark,  I  did  not  find  out  their  deceit,  but  thought  that  they  too 
were  eating  bread.  But  at  last  the  maid,  told  me  of  it,  so  that 
I  should  allow  it  no  longer,  as  my  daughter  would  not  listen  to 
her.  It  is  not  hard  to  guess  how  my  heart  was  wrung  when  I 
saw  my  poor  child  lying  on  her  bed  of  moss  struggling  with 
grim  hunger.  But  things  were  to  go  yet  harder  with  me,  for 
the  Lord  in  his  anger  would  break  me  in  pieces  like  a  potter's 
vessel.  For  behold,  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  old  Paasch 
came  running  to  me,  complaining  that  all  his  and  my  corn  in 
the  field  had  been  pulled  up  and  miserably  destroyed,  and  that 
it  must  have  been  done  by  Satan  himself,  as  there  was  not  a 
trace  either  of  oxen  or  horses.  At  these  words  my  poor  child 
screamed  aloud  and  fainted.  I  would  have  run  to  help  her,  but 
could  not  reach  her  bed,  and  fell  on  the  ground  myself  for  bit- 
ter grief.  The  loud  cries  of  the  maid  and  old  Paasch  soon 
brought  us  both  their  senses.  But  I  could  not  rise  from  the 
ground  alone,  for  the  Lord  had  bruised  all  my  bones.  I  be- 
sought them,  therefore,  when  they  would  have  helped  me,  to 
leave  me  where  I  was ;  and  when  they  would  not,  I  cried  out 
that  I  must  again  fall  on  the  ground  to  pray,  and  begged  them 
all  save  my  daughter  to  depart  out  of  the  room.  This  they  did, 
but  the  prayer  would  not  come.  I  fell  into  heavy  doubting  and 
despair,  and  murmured  against  the  Lord  that  he  plagued  me 


22  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vm. 

more  sorely  than  Lazarus  or  Job.  Wretch  that  I  was,  I 
cried,  "  Thou  didst  leave  to  Lazarus  at  least  the  crumbs  and 
the  pitiful  dogs,  but  to  me  thou  hast  left  nothing,  and  I  myself 
am  less  in  thy  sight  even  than  a  dog ;  and  Job  thou  didst  not 
afflict  until  thou  hadst  mercifully  taken  away  his  children,  but 
to  me  thou  hast  left  my  poor  little  daughter,  that  her  torments 
may  increase  mine  a  thousand  fold.  Behold,  then,  I  can  only 
pray  that  thou  wilt  take  her  from  the  earth,  so  that  my  grey 
head  may  gladly  follow  her  to  the  grave  !  Wo  is  me,  ruthless 
father,  what  have  I  done  ?  •  I  have  eaten  bread,  and  suffered 
my  child  to  hunger !  Oh,  Lord  Jesu,  who  hast  said, '  What  man 
is  there  of  you,  whom  if  his  son  ask  bread  will  he  give  him  a 
stone  ?'  Behold  I  am  that  man  ! — behold  I  am  that  ruthless  father  ! 
I  have  eaten  bread,  and  have  given  wood  to  my  child !  Punish 
me  ;  I  will  bear  it  and  lie  still.  Oh,  righteous  Jesu,  I  have  eaten 
bread,  and  have  given  wood  to  my  child !"  As  I  did  not  speak, 
but  rather  shrieked  these  words,  wringing  my  hands  the  while, 
ray  child  fell  upon  my  neck,  sobbing,  and  chid  me  for  murmur- 
ing against  the  Lord,  seeing  that  even  she,  a  weak  and  frail 
woman,  had  never  doubted  his  mercy ;  so  that  with  shame  and 
repentance  I  presently  came  to  myself  before  the  Lord  for  such 
heavy  sin. 

Meanwhile  the  maid  had  ran  into  the  village  with  loud  cries 
to  see  if  she  could  get  anything  for  her  poor  young  mistress,  but 
the  people  had  already  eaten  their  noontide  meal,  and  most  of 
them  were  gone  to  sea  to  seek  their  blessed  supper ;  thus  she 
could  find  nothing,  seeing  that  old  wife  Seden,  who  alone  had 
any  victuals,  would  give  her  none,  although  she  prayed  her  by 
Jesu's  wounds. 

She  was  telling  us  this  when  we  heard  a  noise  in  the  chamber, 
and  presently  Lizzie  her  worthy  old  husband,  who  had  got  in  at 
the  window  by  stealth,  brought  us  a  pot  of  good  broth,  which 
he  had  taken  off  the  fire  whilst  his  wife  was  gone  for  a  moment 
into  the  garden.  He  well  knew  that  his  wife  would  make  him 
pay  for  it,  but  that  he  did  not  mind,  so  the  young  mistress  would 
but  drink  it,  and  she  would  find  it  salted  and  all.  He  would 
make  haste  out  of  the  window  again,  and  see  that  he  got  home 
before  his  wife,  that  she  might  not  find  out  where  he  had  been. 


CHAP,    vni.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  23 

But  my  daughter  would  not  touch  the  broth,  which  sorely  vexed 
him,  so  that  he  set  it  down  on  the  ground  cursing,  and  ran  out 
of  the  room.  It  was  not  long  before  his  squint-eyed  wife  came 
in  at  the  front  door,  and  when  she  saw  the  pot  still  steaming  on 
the  ground,  she  cried  out,  "  Thou  thief,  thou  cursed  thieving 
carcass !"  and  would  have  flown  at  the  face  of  my  maid.  But 
I  threatened  her,  and  told  her  all  that  had  happened,  and  that  if 
she  would  not  believe  me,  she  might  go  into  the  chamber  and 
look  out  of  the  window,  whence  she  might  still,  belike,  see 
her  goodman  running  home.  This  she  did,  and  presently  we 
heard  her  calling  after  him,  "  Wait,  and  the  devil  shall  tear  off 
thine  arms,  only  wait  till  thou  art  home  again  !"  After  this 
she  came  back,  and,  muttering  something,  took  the  pot  off"  the 
ground.  I  begged  her,  for  the  love  of  God,  to  spare  a  little 
to  my  child ;  but  she  mocked  at  me  and  said,  "  You  can  preach 
to  her,  as  you  did  to  me,"  and  walked  towards  the  door  with  the 
pot.  My  child  indeed  besought  me  to  let  her  go,  but  I  could 
not  help  calling  after  her,  "  For  the  love  of  God,  one  good  sup, 
or  my  poor  child  must  give  up  the  ghost :  wilt  thou  that  at  the 
day  of  judgment  God  should  have  mercy  on  thee,  so  show  mercy 
this  day  to  me  and  mine  !"  But  she  scoffed  at  us  again,  and 
cried  out,  "  Let  her  cook  herself  some  bacon,"  and  went  out  at 
the  door.  I  then  sent  the  maid  after  her  with  the  hour-glass 
which  stood  before  me  on  the  table,  to  offer  it  to  her  for  a  good 
sup  out  of  the  pot ;  but  the  maid  brought  it  back,  saying  that 
she  would  not  have  it.  Alas,  how  I  wept  and  sobbed,  as  my 
poor  dying  child  with  a  loud  sigh  buried  her  head  again  in  the 
moss  !  Yet  the  merciful  God  was  more  gracious  to  me  than  my 
unbelief  had  deserved  ;  for  when  the  hard-he.arted  woman  be- 
stowed a  little  broth  on  her  neighbor  old  Paasch,  he  presently 
brought  it  to  my  child,  having  heard  from  the  maid  how  it  stood 
with  her ;  and  I  believe  that  this  broth,  under  God,  alone  saved 
her  life,  for  she  raised  her  head  as  soon  as  she  had  supped  it,  and 
was  able  to  go  about  the  house  again  in  an  hour.  May  God 
reward  the  good  fellow  for  it !  Thus  I  had  some  joy  in  the 
midst  of  my  trouble.  But  while  I  sat  by  the  fire-side  in  the 
evening  musing  on  my  fate,  my  grief  again  broke  forth,  and  I 
made  up  my  mind  to  leave  my  house,  and  even  my  cure,  and  to 


24  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  vin. 

wander  through  the  wide  world  with  my  daughter  as  a  beggar. 
God  knows  I  had  cause  enough  for  it ;  for  now  that  all  my  hopes 
were  dashed,  seeing  that  my  field  was  quite  ruined,  and  that  the 
Sheriff  had  become  my  bitter  enemy,  moreover  that  it  was  five 
years  since  I  had  had  a  wedding,  item,  but  two  christenings 
during  the  past  year,  I  saw  my  own  and  my  daughter's  death 
staring  me  in  the  face,  and  no  prospect  of  better  times  at  hand. 
Our  want  was  increased  by  the  great  fears  of  the  congregation  ; 
for  although  by  God's  wondrous  mercy  they  had  already  begun 
to  take  good  draughts  of  fish  both  in  the  sea  and  the  Achter- 
water,  and  many  of  the  people  in  the  other  villages  had  already 
gotten  bread,  salt,  oatmeal,  &c.,  from  the  Polters  and  Quatzners 
of  Anklam  and  Lassan*  in  exchange  for  their  fish  ;  nevertheless, 
they  brought  me  nothing,  fearing  lest  it  might  be  told  at  Pudgla, 
and  make  his  lordship  ungracious  to  them.  I  therefore  beckoned 
my  daughter  to  me,  and  told  her  what  was  in  my  thoughts, 
saying  that  God,  in  his  mercy,  could  any  day  bestow  on  me 
another  cure  if  I  was  found  worthy  in  his  sight  of  such  a  favor, 
seeing  that  these  terrible  days  of  pestilence  and  war  had  called 
away  many  of  the  servants  of  his  word,  and  that  I  had  not  fled 
like  a  hireling  from  his  flock,  but,  on"  the  contrary,  till  datum 
shared  sorrow  .and  death  with  it.  Whether  she  were  able  to 
walk  five  or  ten  miles  a  day  ;  for  that  then  we  would  beg  our 
way  to  Hamburg,  to  my  departed  wife  her  step-brother,  Martin 
Behring,  who  is  a  great  merchant  in  that  city. 

This  at  first  sounded  strange  to  her,  seeing  that  she  had  very 
seldom  been  out  of  our  parish,  and  that  her  departed  mother  and 
her  little  brother  lay  in  our  churchyard.  She  asked,  "  who  was 
to  make  up  their,  graves  and  plant  flowers  on  them  ?  Item,  as 
the  Lord  had  given  her  a  smooth  face,  what  I  should  do  if  in 
these  wild  and  cruel  times  she  were  attacked  on  the  highways 
by  marauding  soldiers  or  other  villains,  seeing  that  I  was  a  weak 
old  man  and  unable  to  defend  her ;  item,  wherewithal  should  we 
shield  ourselves  from  the  frost,  as  the  winter  was  setting  in,  and 

*  These  people  still  go  about  the  Achterwater  every  day  in  small  boats 
called  Polten  and  Quatzen,  and  buy  from  the  boors  any  fish  they  may  have 
caught. 


CHAP,  viii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  25 

the  enemy  had  robbed  us  of  our  clothes,  so  that  we  had  scarce 
enough  left  to  cover  our  nakedness?"  All  this  I  had  not  con- 
sidered, and  was  forced  to  own  that  she  was  right ;  so  after 
much  discussion  we  determined  to  leave  it  this  night  to  the  Lord, 
and  to  do  whatever  he  should  put  into  our  hearts  next  morn- 
ing. At  any  rate,  we  saw  that  we  could  in  nowise  keep  the 
old  maid  any  longer ;  I  therefore  called  her  out  of  the  kitchen, 
and  told  her  she  had  better  go  early  next  morning  to  Liepe,  as 
there  still  was  f<jj>d  there,  whereas  here  she  must  starve,  seeing 
that  perhaps  we  ourselves  might  leave  the  parish  and  the 
country  to-morrow.  I  thanked  her  for  the  love  and  faith  she 
had  shown  us,  and  begged  her  at  last,  amid  the  loud  sobs  of  my 
poor  daughter,  to  depart  forthwith  privately,  and  not  to  make 
our  hearts  still  heavier  by  leave-taking ;  that  old  Paasch  was 
going  a-fishing  to-night  on  the  Achterwater,  as  he  had  told  me, 
and  no  doubt  would  readily  set  her  on  shore  at  Griissow,  where 
she  had  friends,  and  could  eat  her  fill  even  to-day.  She  could 
not  say  a  word  for  weeping,  but  when  she  saw  that  I  was  really 
in  earnest  she  went  out  of  the  room.  Not  long  after  we  heard 
the  house-door  shut  to,  whereupon  my  daughter  moaned,  "  She 
is  gone  already,"  and  ran  straight  to  the  window  to  look  after 
her.  "  Yes,"  cried  she,  as  she  saw  her  through  the  little  panes, 
"  she  is  really  gone ;"  and  she  wrung  her  hands  and  would  not 
be  comforted.  At  last,  however,  she  was  quieted  when  I  spoke 
of  the  maid  Hagar,  whom  Abraham  had  likewise  cast  off, 
but  on  whom  the  Lord  had  nevertheless  shown  mercy  in  the 
wilderness ;  and  hereupon  we  commended  ourselves  to  the 
Lord,  and  stretched  ourselves  on  our  couches  of  moss. 


26  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  ix. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

How  the  old  maid-servant  humbled  me  by  her  faith,  and  the  Lord  yet 

blessed  me  his  unworthy  servant. 

• 

"  BLESS  the  Lord,  O  my  soul  ;  and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless 
his  holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all 
his  benefits.  Who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities  ;  who  healeth 
all  thy  diseases  ;  who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  destruction  ;  who 
crowneth  thee  with  loving  kindness  and  tender  mercies." 
(Ps.  ciii.) 

Alas !  wretched  man  that  I  am,  how  shall  I  understand  all 
the  benefits  and  mercies  which  the  Lord  bestowed  upon  me,  the 
very  next  day  ?  I  now  wept  for  joy  as  of  late  I  had  done  for 
sorrow  ;  and  my  child  danced  about  the  room  like  a  young  roe, 
and  would  not  go  to  bed,  but  only  cry  and  dance,  and  between 
whiles  repeat  the  103d  Psalm,  then  dance  and  cry  again  until 
morning  broke.  But  as  she  was  still  very  weak,  I  rebuked  her 
presumption,  seeing  that  this  was  tempting  the  Lord  ;  and  now 
mark  what  had  happened. 

After  we  had  both  woke  in  the  morning  with  deep  sighs,  and 
called  upon  the  Lord  to  manifest  to  us,  in  our  hearts,  what  wo 
should  do,  we  still  could  not  make  up  our  minds.  I  therefore 
called  to  my  child,  if  she  felt  strong  enough,  to  leave  her  bed 
and  light  a  fire  in  the  stove  herself,  as  our  maid  was  gone  ;  that 
we  would  then  consider  the  matter  further.  She  accordingly 
got  up,  but  came  back  in  an  instant  with  cries  of  joy,  because 
the  maid  had  privately  stolen  back  into  the  house,  and  had 
already  made  a  fire.  Hereupon  I  sent  for  her  to  my  bedside, 
and  wondered  at  her  disobedience,  and  asked  what  she  now 
wanted  here,  but  to  torment  me  and  my  daughter  still  more, 
and  why  she  did  not  go  yesterday  with  old  Paasch  ?  But  she 
lamented  and  wept  so  sore  that  she  scarce  could  speak,  and  I 
understood  only  thus  much  :  that  she  had  eaten  with  us,  and 


CHAP,  ix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  27 

would  likewise  starve  with  us,  for  that  she  could  never  part 
from  her  young  mistress,  whom  she  had  known  from  her  cra- 
dle. Such  faithful  love  moved  me  so,  that  I  said  almost  with 
tears,  "  But  hast  thou  not  heard  that  my  daughter  and  I  have 
determined  to  wander  as  beggars  about  the  country  ;  where, 
then,  wilt  thou  remain  ?"  To  this  she  answered  that  neither 
would  she  stay  behind,  seeing  it  was  more  fitting  for  her  to  beg 
than  for  us  ;  but  that  she  could  not  yet  see  why  I  wished  to  go 
out  into  the  wide  world  ;  whether  I  had  already  forgotten  that 
I  had  said,  in  my  induction  sermon,  that  I  would  abide  with 
my  flock  in  affliction  and  in  death  ?  That  I  should  stay  yet  a 
little  longer  where  I  was,  and  send  her  to  Liepe,  as  she  hoped 
to  get  something  worth  having  for  us,  there,  from  her  friends 
and  others.  These  words,  especially  those  about  my  induction 
sermon,  fell  heavy  on  my  conscience,  and  I  was  ashamed  of 
my  want  of  faith,  since,  not  my  daughter  only,  but  yet  more, 
even  my  maid,  had  stronger  faith  than  I,  who,  nevertheless,  pro- 
fessed to  be  a  servant  of  God's  word.  I  believe  that  the  Lord,  to 
keep  me,  poor  fearful  hireling,  and  at  the  same  time,  to  humble 
me,  had  awakened  the  spirit  of  this  poor  maid-servant  to  prove 
me,  as  the  maid  in  the  palace  of  the  high-priest  had  also  proved 
the  fearful  St.  Peter.  Wherefore  I  turned  my  face  towards 
the  wall,  like  Hezekiah,  and  humbled  myself  before  the  Lord  ; 
which  scarce  had  I  done  before  my  child  ran  into  the  room 
again,  with  a  cry  of  joy.  For  behold  some  Christian  heart 
had  stolen  quietly  into  the  house  in  the  night,  and  had 
laid  in  the  chamber  two  loaves,  a  good  piece  of  meat,  a  bag  of 
oatmeal,  item,  a  bag  of  salt,  holding  near  a  pint.  Any  one  may 
guess  what  shouts  of  joy  we  all  raised.  Neither  was  I  ashamed 
to  confess  my  sins  before  my  maid  ;  and  in  our  common  morn- 
ing prayer,  which  we  said  on  our  knees,  I  made  fresh  vows  to 
the  Lord,  of  obedience  and  faith.  Thus  we  had  that  morning 
a  grand  breakfast,  and  sent  something  to  old  Paasch  besides ; 
item,  my  daughter  again  sent  for  all  the  little  children  to  come, 
and  kindly  fed  them  with  our  store,  before  they  said  their  tasks  ; 
and  when  in  my  heart  of  little  faith  I  sighed  thereat,  although 
I  said  naught,  she  smiled,  and  said,  "  Take  therefore  no  thought 


28  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  ix. 

for  the  morrow,  for  the  morrow  shall  take  thought  for  the  things 
of  itself."* 

The  Holy  Ghost  spoke  by  her,  as  I  cannot  but  believe,  nor 
thou  either,  beloved  reader  :  for,  mark  what  happened.  In  the 
afternoon,  she  (I  mean  my  child)  went  up  the  Streckelberg  to 
seek  for  blackberries,  as  old  Paasch  had  told  her  through  the 
maid  that  a  few  bushes  were  still  left.  The  maid  was  chopping 
wood  in  the  yard,  to  which  end  she  had  borrowed  old  Paasch 
his  axe,  for  the  Imperialist  thieves  had  thrown  away  mine,  so 
that  it  could  nowhere  be  found  ;  and  I  myself  was  pacing  up 
and  down  in  the  room,  meditating  my  sermon  ;  when  my  child, 
with  her  apron  full,  came  quickly  in  at  the  door,  quite  red  and 
with  beaming  eyes,  and  scarce  able  for  joy  to  say  more  than 
"  Father,  father,  what  have  I  got  ?"  "  Well,"  quoth  I,  "  what 
hast  thou  got,  my  child  ?"  Whereupon  she  opened  her  apron, 
and  I  scarce  trusted  my  eyes  when  I  saw,  instead  of  the  black- 
berries which  she  had  gone  to  seek,  two  shining  pieces  of 
amber,  each  nearly  as  big  as  a  man's  head,  not  to  mention  the 
small  pieces,  some  of  which  were  as  large  as  my  hand,  and  that, 
God  knows,  is  no  small  one.  "  Child  of  my  heart,"  cried  I, 
"  how  cam'st  thou  by  this  blessing  from  God  ?"  As  soon  as 
she  could  fetch  her  breath,  she  told  me  as  follows : 

That  while  she  was  seeking  for  blackberries  in  a  dell  near 
the  shore,  she  saw  somewhat  glistening  in  the  sun,  and  on 
coming  near,  she  found  this  wondrous  Godsend,  seeing  that  the 
wind  had  blown  the  sand  away  from  off  a  black  vein  of  amber. f 
That  she  straightway  had  broken  off  these  pieces  with  a  stick, 
and  that  there  was  plenty  more  to  be  got,  seeing  that  it  rattled 
about  under  the  stick  when  she  thrust  it  into  the  sand,  neither 
could  she  force  it  farther  than,  at  most,  a  foot  deep  into  the 
ground  ;  item,  she  told  me  that  she  had  covered  the  place  all 

*  Matt,  vi.,  ni. 

t  This  happens  frequently  even  now,  and  has  occurred  to  the  editor  him- 
self. The  small  dark  vein  held  indeed  a  few  pieces  of  amber,  mixed  with 
charcoal,  a  sure  proof  of  its  vegetable  origin,  of  which  we  may  observe  in 
passing  there  is  now  scarce  any  doubt,  since  whole  trees  of  amber  have  been 
found  in  Prussia,  and  are  preserved  in  the  museum  at  Konigsberg. 


CHAP,  ix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  23 

over  again  with  sand,  and  swept  it  smooth  with  her  apron  so  as 
to  leave  no  traces. 

Moreover,  that  no  stranger  was  at  all  likely  to  go  thither, 
seeing  that  no  blackberries  grew  very  near,  and  she  had  gone 
to  the  spot,  moved  by  curiosity  and  a  wish  to  look  upon  the 
sea,  rather  than  from  any  need  ;  but  that  she  could  easily  find 
the  place  again  herself,  inasmuch  as  she  had  marked  it  with 
three  little  stones.  What  was  our  first  act  after  the  all-merci- 
ful God  had  rescued  us  but  of  such  misery,  nay,  even,  as  it 
seemed,  endowed  us  with  great  riches,  any  one  may  guess. 
When  we  at  length  got  up  off  our  knees,  my  child  would 
straightway  have  run  to  tell  the  maid  our  joyful  news.  But  I 
forbade  her,  seeing  that  we  could  not  be  sure  that  the  maid 
might  not  tell  it  again  to  her  friends,  albeit  in  all  other  things 
she  was  a  faithful  woman,  and  feared  God  ;  but  that  if  she  did 
that,  the  Sheriff  would  be  sure  to  hear  of  it,  and  to  seize  upon 
our  treasure  for  his  Princely  Highness  the  Duke,  that  is  to  say, 
for  himself;  and  that  naught  would  be  left  to  us  but  the  sight 
thereof, .  and  our  want  would  begin  all  over  again  ;  that  we 
therefore  would  say,  when  folks  asked  about  the  luck  that  had 
befallen  us,  that  my  deceased  brother,  who  was  a  councillor  at 
Rotterdam,  had  left  us  a  good  lump  of  money  ;  and  indeed  it 
was  true  that  I  had  inherited  near  200  florins  from  him  a  year 
ago,  which,  however,  the  soldiery  (as  mentioned  above)  cruelly 
robbed  me  of;  item,  that  I  would  go  to  Wolgast  myself  next 
day,  and  sell  the  little  bits  as  best  I  might,  saying  that  thou 
hadst  picked  them  up  by  the  seaside  ;  thou  mayst  tell  the  maid 
the  same,  if  thou  wilt,  but  show  the  larger  pieces  to  no  one,  and 
I  will  send  them  to  thy  uncle  at  Hamburg,  to  be  turned  into 
money  for  us ;  perchance  I  may  be  able  to  sell  one  of  them  at 
Wolgast,  if  I  find  occasion,  so  as  to  buy  clothes  enough  for  the 
winter,  for  thee  and  for  me,  wherefore  thou,  too,  mayst  go  with' 
me.  We  will  take  the  few  farthings  which  the  congregation 
have  brought  together,  to  pay  the  ferry,  and  thou  canst  order 
the  maid  to  wait  for  us  till  eventide  at  the  water-side  to  carry 
home  the  victuals.  She  agreed  to  all  this,  but  said  we  had 
better  first  break  off  some  more  amber,  so  that  we  might  get  a 
good  round  sum  for  it  at  Hamburg  ;  and  I  thought  so  too, 


30  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  ix. 

wherefore  we  stopped  at  home  next  day,  seeing  that  we  did  not 
want  for  food,  and  that  my  child,  as  well  as  myself,  both  wished 
to  refresh  ourselves  a  little  before  we  set  out  on  our  journey ; 
item,  we  likewise  bethought  us  that  old  Master  Rothoog,  of 
Loddin,  who  is  a  cabinet-maker,  might  knock  together  a  little 
box  for  us,  to  put  the  amber  in,  wherefore  I  sent  the  maid  to 
him  in  the  afternoon.  Meanwhile  we  ourselves  went  up  the 
Streckelberg,  where  I  cut  a  young  fir-tree  with  my  pocket- 
knife,  which  I  had  saved  from  the  enemy,  and  shaped  it  like  a 
spade,  so  that  I  might  be  better  able  to  dig  deep  therewith. 
First,  however,  we  looked  about  us  well  on  the  mountain,  and 
seeing  nobody,  my  daughter  walked  on  to  the  place,  which  she 
straightway  found  again.  Great  God !  what  a  mass  of  amber 
was  there  !  The  vein  was  hard  upon  twenty  feet  long,  as  near 
as  I  could  feel,  and  the  depth  of  it  I  could  not  sound.  Never- 
theless, save  four  good-sized  pieces,  none,  however,  so  big  as 
those  of  yesterday,  we  this  day  only  broke  out  little  splinters, 
such  as  the  apothecaries  bruise  for  incense.  After  we  had 
most  carefully  covered  and  smoothed  over  the  place,  a  great 
mishap  was  very  near  befalling  us ;  for  we  met  Witthan  her  little 
girl,  who  was  seeking  blackberries,  and  she  asked  what  my 
daughter  carried  in  her  apron,  who  straightway  grew  red,  and 
stammered  so  that  our  secret  would  have  been  betrayed  if  I  had 
not  presently  said,  "  What  is  that  to  thee  ?  she  has  got  fir-ap- 
ples, for  firing,"  which  the  child  believed.  Wherefore  we  re- 
solved in  future  only  to  go  up  the  mountain  at  night  by  moon- 
light, and  we  went  home  and  got  there  before  the  maid,  and  hid 
our  treasures  in  the  bedstead,  so  that  she  should  not  see  it. 


CHAP,  x.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  31 


CHAPTER  X. 

How  we  journeyed  to  Wolgast,  and  made  good  barter  there. 

Two  days  after,  so  says  my  daughter,  but  old  Use  thinks  it  was 
three  (and  I  myself  know  not  which  is  true),  we  at  last  went 
to  the  town,  seeing  that  Master  Rothoog  had  not  got  the  box 
ready  before.     My  daughter  covered  it  over  with  a  piece  of  my 
departed  wife  her  wedding  gown,  which  the  Imperialists  had 
indeed  torn  to  pieces,  but  as  they  had  left  it  lying  outside,  the 
wind  had  blown  it  into  the  orchard,  where  we  found  it.     It  was 
very  shabby  before,  otherwise  I  doubt  not  they  would  have  car- 
ried it  off  with  them.     On  account  of  the  box  we  took  old  Use 
with  us,  who  had  to  carry  it,  and  as  amber  is  very  light  ware 
she  readily  believed  that  the  box  held  nothing  but  eatables.     At 
day-break,  then,  we  took  our  staves  in  our  hands,  and  set  out 
with  God.     Near  Zitze,*  a  hare  ran  across  the  road  before  us, 
which  they  say  bodes  no  good.     Well-a-day  ! — When  we  came 
near   Bannemin  I  asked  a  fellow  if  it  was  true  that  here  a 
mother  had  slaughtered  her  own  child,  from  hunger,  as  I  had 
heard.     He  said  it  was,  and  that  the  old  woman's  name  was 
Zisse  ;  but  that  God  had  been  wrath  at  such  a  horrid  deed,  and 
she  had  got  no  good  by  it,  seeing  that  she  vomited  so  much  upon 
eating  it,  that  she  forthwith  gave  up  the  ghost.     On  the  whole 
he  thought  things  were  already  going  rather  better  with  the 
parish,  as  Almighty  God  had  richly  blessed  them  with  fish,  both 
out   of  the    sea  and  the   Achterwater.     Nevertheless  a  great 
number  of  people  had  died  of  hunger  here  also.     He  told  us 
that  their  vicar,  his  reverence  Johannes  Lampius.f  had  had  his 

*  A  village  half  way  between  Coserow  and  Wolgast,  now  called  Zinno- 
witz. 

t  The  present  parish  archives  contain  several  short  and  incomplete 
notices  of  his  sufferings  during  these  dreadful  wars. 


32  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  x. 

house  burnt  down  by  the  Imperialists,  and  was  lying  in  a  hovel 
near  the  church.  I  sent  him  my  greeting,  desiring  that  he 
would  soon  come  to  visit  me  (which  the  fellow  promised  he 
would  take  care  to  deliver  to  him),  for  the  reverend  Johannes 
is  a  pious  and  learned  man,  and  has  also  composed  sundry 
Latin  Chronosticha  on  these  wretched  times,  in  mctrum  hcroicum, 
which,  I  must  say,  please  me  greatly.*  When  we  had  crossed 
the  ferry  we  went  in  at  Sehms  his  house,  on  the  Castle  green, 
who  keeps  an  ale-house ;  he  told  us  that  the  pestilence  had  not 
yet  altogether  ceased  in  the  town  ;  whereat  I  was  much  afraid, 
more  especially  as  he  described  to  us  so  many  other  horrors  and 
miseries  of  these  fearful  times,  both  here  and  in  other  places, 
e.  g.  of  the  great  famine  in  the  island  of  Riigen,  where  a  num- 
ber of  people  had  grown  as  black  as  Moors  from  hunger ;  a 
wondrous  thing  if  it  be  true,  and  one  might  almost  gather  there- 
from how  the  first  blackamoors  came  about. f  But  be  that  as  it 
may.  Summa.  When  Master  Sehms  had  told  us  all  the  news 
he  had  heard,  and  we  had  thus  learnt  to  our  great  comfort  that 
the  Lord  had  not  visited  us  only  in  these  times  of  heavy  need, 
I  called  him  aside  into  a  chamber  and  asked  him  whether  I 
could  not  here  find  means  to  get  money  for  a  piece  of  amber, 
which  my  daughter  had  found  by  the  sea.  At  first  he  said 
"  No ;"  but  then  recollecting,  he  began,  "  Stay,  let  me  see,  at 
Nicolas  Graeke's,  the  inn  at  the  castle,  there  are  two  great 
Dutch  merchants,  Dieterich  von  Pehnen  and  Jacob  Kiekebusch, 
who  are  come  to  buy  pitch  and  boards,  item,  timber  for  ships  and 
beams ;  perchance  they  may  like  to  cheapen  your  amber  too ; 
but  you  had  better  go  up  to  the  castle  yourself,  for  I  do  not 

*  The  old  vicar  lias  introduced  them  among  the  still-existing  parochial 
accounts,  and  we  will  here  give  a  specimen  of  them  : — 

For  K 'p'-'i  i. 
VsqVe  qVo  DoMIne  IrasCerls,  sis  nobls  pater  ! 

For  1628. 

hi(|Ve  tVa  DeXtra  fer  operaM  tV  Chrlste  benlgne  ! 
t  Micraelius,  also,  in  his 'Ancient  Pomerania'  (vol.  Ixxi.  2),  mentions 
fliis  circiiiiist;nirr,  but  only  says: — "Those  who  came  over  to  Stralsund 
were  quite  black  from  the  hunger  they  had  suffered."  This  accounts  for 
the  strange  exaggeration  of  mine  host,  and  the  still  stranger  conclusion  of 
our  author. 


CHAP,  x.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  33 

know  for  certain  whether  they  still  are  there."  This  I  did, 
although  I  had  not  yet  eaten  anything  in  the  man's  house,  see- 
ing that  I  wanted  to  know  first  what  sort  of  bargain  I  might 
make,  and  to  save  the  farthings  belonging  to  the  church  until 
then.  So  I  went  into  the  castle-yard.  Gracious  God  !  what  a 
desert  had  even  his  Princely  Highness'  house  become,  within  a 
short  time !  The  Danes  had  ruined  the  stables  and  hunting- 
lodge,  Anno  1628  ;  item,  destroyed  several  rooms  in  the  castle  ; 
and  in  the  locamentum  of  his  Princely  Highness  Duke  Philip- 
pus,  where,  Anno  22,  he  so  graciously  entertained  me  and  my 
child,  as  will  be  told  further  on,  now  dwelt  the  inn-keeper 
Nicolas  Graeke ;  and  all  the  fair  tapestries,  whereon  was 
represented  the  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem  of  his  Princely  High- 
ness Bogislaus  X.,  were  torn  down,  and  the  walls  left  grey  and 
bare.*  At  this  sight  my  heart  was  sorely  grieved  ;  but  I  pre- 
sently inquired  for  the  merchants,  who  sat  at  the  table  drinking 
their  parting  cup,  with  their  travelling  equipments  already 
lying  by  them,  seeing  that  they  were  just  going  to  set  out  on 
their  way  to  Stettin ;  straightway  one  of  them  jumped  up  from 
his  liquor,  a  little  fellow  with  a  right  noble  paunch,  and  a  black 
plaster  on  his  nose,  and  asked  me  what  I  would  of  them  ?  I 
took  him  aside  into  a  window,  and  told  him  I  had  some  fine 
amber,  if  he  had  a  mind  to  buy  it  of  me,  which  he  straightway 
agreed  to  do.  And  when  he  had  whispered  somewhat  into  the 
ear  of  his  fellow,  he  began  to  look  very  pleasant,  and  reached 
me  the  pitcher  before  we  went  to  my  inn.  I  drank  to  him  right 
heartily,  seeing  that,  as  I  have  already  said,  I  was  still  fasting, 
so  that  I  felt  my  very  heart  warmed  by  it  in  an  instant. 
(Gracious  God,  what  can  go  beyond  a  good  draught  of  wine 
taken  within  measure  !)  After  this  we  went  to  my  inn,  and  told 
the  maid  to  carry  the  box  on  one  side  into  a  small  chamber.  I 
had  scarce  opened  it  and  taken  away  the  gown,  when  the  man 

*  Compare  Heller's  "  Chronicle  of  the  Town  of  Wolgast,"  p.  42,  et  cet. 
The  riots  were  caused  by  the  successor  of  Philippus  Julius  (d.  6  Feb. 
1625),  who  was  also  the  last  Duke  of  Pomerania,  Bogislaus  XIV.,  choosing 
to  reside  in  Stettin.  At  the  present  time  the  castle  is  a  mere  ruin,  and  only 
several  large  vaulted  cellars  remain,  wherein  some  of  the  tradesmen  of  the 
present  day  keep  their  shops. 

4 


31  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  x. 

(whose  name  was  Dieterich  von  Pehnen,  as  he  had  told  me  by 
the  way),  held  up  both  hands  for  joy,  and  said  he  had  never 
seen  such  wealth  of  amber,  and  how  had  I  come  by  it  ?  I 
answered  that  my  child  had  found  it  on  the  sea-shore ;  whereat 
he  wondered  greatly  that  we  had  so  much  amber  here,  and 
offered  me  300  florins  for  the  whole  box.  I  was  quite  beside 
myself  for  joy  at  such  an  offer,  but  took  care  not  to  let  him  see 
it,  and  bargained  with  him  till  I  got  500  florins,  and  I  was  to 
go  with  him  to  the  Castle,  and  take  the  money  forthwith. 
Hereupon  I  ordered  mine  host  to  make  ready  at  once  a  mug  of 
beer,  and  a  good  dinner  for  my  child,  and  went  back  to  the  Cas- 
tle with  the  man,  and  the  maid  who  carried  the  box,  begging 
him,  in  order  to  avoid  common  talk,  to  say  nothing  of  my  good 
fortune  to  mine  host,  nor,  indeed,  to  any  one  else  in  the  town, 
and  to  count  out  the  money  to  me  privately,  seeing  that  I  could 
not  be  sure  that  the  thieves  might  not  lay  in  wait  for  me  on  the 
road  home,  if  they  heard  of  it,  and  this  the  man  did  ;  for  he 
whispered  something  into  the  ear  of  his  fellow,  who  straightway 
opened  his  leathern  surcoat,  item,  his  doublet  and  hose,  and  un- 
buckled from  his  paunch  a  well-filled  purse  which  he  gave  to 
him.  Summa.  Before  long  I  had  my  riches  in  my  pocket, 
and,  moreover,  the  man  begged  me  to  write  to  him  at  Amster- 
dam whenever  I  found  any  more  amber,  the  which  I  promised 
to  do.  But  the  worthy  fellow,  as  I  have  since  heard,  died  of 
the  plague  at  Stettin,  together  with  his  companion — truly  I 
wish  it  had  happened  otherwise.*  Shortly  after,  I  was  very 
near  getting  into  great  trouble ;  for,  as  I  had  an  extreme  long- 
ing to  fall  on  my  knees,  so  that  I  could  not  wait  until  such  time 
as  I  should  have  got  back  to  my  inn,  I  went  up  three  or  four 
steps  of  the  Castle-stairs,  and  entered  into  a  small  chamber, 
where  I  humbled  myself  before  the  Lord.  But  the  host,  Nico- 
las Graeke,  followed  me,  thinking  I  was  a  thief,  and  would 
have  stopped  me,  so  that  I  knew  not  how  to  excuse  myself  but 
by  saying  that  I  had  been  made  drunken  by  the  wine  which 

*  Micraeliua  mentions  these  Dutch  merchants,  p.  171,  but  asserts  that  the 
cause  of  their  death  was  doubtful,  and  that  the  town  physician,  Dr.  Lauren- 
tius  Eichstadius,  in  Stettin,  had  written  a  special  medical  paper  on  the 
subject.  However,  he  calls  one  of  them  Kiekepost,  instead  of  Kiekebusch. 


CHAP,  x.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  35 

the  strange  merchants  had  given  to  me  (for  he  had  seen  what 
a  good  pull  I  had  made  at  it),  seeing  I  had  not  broken  my  fast 
that  morning,  and  that  I  was  looking  for  a  chamber  wherein  I 
might  sleep  a  while,  which  lie  he  believed  (if  in  truth  it  were  a 
lie,  for  I  was  really  drunken,  though  not  with  wine,  but  with 
love  and  gratitude  to  my  Maker),  and  accordingly  he  let  me  go. 
But  I  must  now  tell  my  story  of  his  Princely  Highness,  as  I 
promised  above.  Anno  22,  as  I  chanced  to  walk  with  my  daugh- 
ter, who  was  then  a  child  of  about  twelve  years  old,  in  the  cas- 
tle-garden at  Wolgast,  and  was  showing  her  the  beautiful  flow- 
ers that  grew  there,  it  chanced  that  as  we  came  round  from  be- 
hind some  bushes  we  espied  my  gracious  lord  the  Duke  Philip- 
pus  Julius,  with  his  Princely  Highness  the  Duke  Bogislaff,  who 
lay  here  on  a  visit,  standing  on  a  mount  and  conversing,  where- 
fore we  were  about  to  return.  But  as  my  gracious  lords  pre- 
sently walked  on  toward  the  drawbridge,  we  went  to  look  at  the 
mount  where  they  had  stood  ;  of  a  sudden  my  little  girl  shouted 
loudly  for  joy,  seeing  that  she  found  on  the  earth  a  costly  sig- 
net-ring, which  one  of  their  Princely  Highnesses  doubtless  had 
dropped.  I  therefore  said,  "Come,  and  we  will  follow  our 
gracious  lords  with  all  speed,  and  thou  shalt  say  to  them  in 
Latin  :  Serenissimi  principes,  quis  vestrum  hunc  annulum  deper- 
didit  (for,  as  I  have  mentioned  above,  I  had  instructed  her  in  the 
Latin  tongue  ever  since  her  seventh  year)  ?  and  if  one  of  them 
says  Ego,  give  to  him  the  ring.  Item. — Should  he  ask  thee  in 
Latin  to  whom  thou  belongest,  be  not  abashed,  and  say :  Ego 
sum  filia  pastoris  Coserowiensis ;  for  thou  wilt  thus  find  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  their  Princely  Highnesses,  for  they  are  both 
gracious  gentlemen,  more  especially  the  taller  one,  who  is  our 
gracious  ruler  Philippus  Julius  himself."  This  she  promised 
to  do ;  but  as  she  trembled  sorely  as  she  went,  I  encouraged 
her  yet  more  and  promised  her  a  new  gown  if  she  did  it,  seeing 
that  even  as  a  little  child  she  would  have  given  a  great  deal  for 
fine  clothes.  As  soon,  then,  as  we  were  come  into  the  court- 
yard, I  stood  by  the  statue  of  his  Princely  Highness  Ernest 
Ludewig,*  and  whispered  her  to  run  boldly  after  them,  as  their 
Princely  Highnesses  were  only  a  few  steps  before  us  and  had 

*  The  father  of  Philippus  Julius,  died  at  Wolgast  the  17th  June,  1592. 


36  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  x. 

already  turned  toward  the  great  entrance.  This  she  did,  but 
of  a  sudden  she  stood  still,  and  would  have  turned  back,  be- 
cause she  was  frightened  by  the  spurs  of  their  Princely  High- 
nesses, as  she  afterwards  told  me,  seeing  that  they  rattled  and 
jingled  very  loudly. 

But  my  gracious"  lady  the  Duchess  Agnes  saw  her  from  the 
open  window  wherein  she  lay,  and  called  to  his  Princely  High- 
ness, "  My  Lord,  there  is  a  little  maiden  behind  you,  who,  it 
seems,  would  speak  with  you,"  whereupon  his  Princely  High- 
ness straightway  turned  him  round,  smiling  pleasantly,  so  that 
my  little  maid  presently  took  courage,  and,  holding  up  the  ring, 
spoke  in  Latin  as  I  had  told  her.  Hereat  both  the  princes  won- 
dered beyond  measure,  and  after  my  gracious  Duke  Philippus 
had  felt  his  finger,  he  answered,  "  Dulcissima  puella,  ego  per- 
didi;"  whereupon  she  gave  it  to  him.  Then  he  patted  her 
cheek,  and  again  asked,  "  Sed  quanam  es,  et  unde  venis?" 
whereupon  she  boldly  gave  her  answer,  and  at  the  same  time 
pointed  with  her  finger  to  where  I  stood  by  the  statue ;  where- 
upon his  Princely  Highness  motioned  me  to  draw  near.  My 
gracious  lady  saw  all  that  passed  from  the  window,  but  all  at 
once  she  left  it.  She,  however,  came  back  to  it  again  before 
I  had  time  even  humbly  to  draw  near  to  my  gracious  lord,  and 
beckoned  to  my  child,  and  held  a  cake  out  of  the  window  for 
her.  On  my  telling  her,  she  ran  up  to  the  window,  but  her 
Princely  Highness  could  not  reach  so  low  nor  she  so  high  above 
her  as  to  take  it,  wherefore  my  gracious  lady  commanded  her  to 
come  up  into  the  castle,  and  as  she  looked  anxiously  round 
after  me,  motioned  me  also,  as  did  my  gracious  lord  himself,  who 
presently  took  the  timid  little  maid  by  the  hand  and  went  up 
with  his  Princely  Highness  the  Duke  BogislafF.  My  gracious 
lady  came  to  meet  us  at  the  door,  and  caressed  and  embraced 
my  little  daughter,  so  that  she  soon  grew  quite  bold  and  ate  the 
cake.  When  my  gracious  lord  had  asked  my  name,  item,  why 
I  had  in  so  singular  a  manner  taught  my  daughter  the  Latin 
tongue,  I  answered  that  I  had  heard  much  from  a  cousin  at 
Cologne  of  Maria  Schurman,*  and  as  I  had  observed  a  very 

*  Anna  Maria  Schurman,  born  at  Cologne  on  the  5th  Nov.,  1607,  died  at 
Wiewardin  the  5th  May,  1678,  was,  according  to* the  unanimous  testimony 


CHAP,  x.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  37 

excellent  ingenium  in  my  child,  and  also  had  time  enough  in 
my  lonely  cure,  I  did  not  hesitate  to  take  her  in  hand,  and 
teach  her  from  her  youth  up,  seeing  I  had  no  boy  alive.  Here- 
at  their  Princely  Highnesses  marvelled  greatly,  and  put  some 
more  questions  to  her  in  Latin,  which  she  answered  without 
any  prompting  from  me.  Whereupon  my  gracious  lord  Duke 
Philippus  said  in  the  vulgar  tongue  :  "  When  thou  art  grown 
up  and  art  one  day  to  be  married,  tell  it  to  me,  and  thou  shalt 
then  have  another  ring  from  me,  and  whatsoever  else  pertains 
to  a  bride,  for  thou  hast  this  day  done  me  good  service,  seeing 
that  this  ring  is  a  precious  jewel  to  me,  as  I  had  it  from  my 
wife."  Hereupon  I  whispered  her  to  kiss  his  Princely  High- 
ness hand  for  such  a  promise,  and  so  she  did. 

(But  alas,  most  gracious  God,  it  is  one  thing  to  promise  and 
quite  another  to  hold !  Where  is  his  Princely  Highness  at 
this  time  ?  Wherefore  let  me  ever  keep  in  mind  that  "  thou 
only  art  faithful,  and  that  which  thou  hast  promised  thou  wilt 
surely  hold."  Ps.  xxxiii.  4.  Amen.*) 

of  hex-  contemporaries,  a  prodigy  of  learning,  and,  perhaps,  the  most  learn- 
ed woman  that  ever  lived.  The  Frenchman  Naude  says  of  her,  "  You  find 
in  her  alone  all  that  the  hand  can  fashion  or  the  mind  conceive.  No  one 
paints  better,  no  one  works  better  in  brass,  wax,  and  wood.  In  needlework 
she  excels  all  women  pastor  present.  It  is  impossible  to  say  in  what  branch 
of  knowledge  she  is  most  distinguished.  Not  content  with  the  European 
languages,  she  understands  Hebrew,  Arabic,  Syriac,  and  writes  Latin  so  well 
that  no  one  who  has  devoted  his  whole  life  to  it  can  do  better."  The  ce- 
lebrated Netherlander  Spanheim  calls  her  a  teacher  of  the  Graces  and  the 
Muses ;  the  still  more  celebrated  Salmasius  confesses  that  he  knows  not  in 
which  branch  of  learning  to  say  she  excels :  and  the  Pole  Rotyer  calls  her 
"  The  sole  example  of  all  wondrous  works  in  one  single  learned  person, 
and  a  perfect  monstrum  of  her  sex,  yet  without  fault  or  blame."  For,  in 
truth,  with  all  her  extraordinary  knowledge  she  was  marvellously  humble, 
although  she  herself  confesses  that  the  immoderate  praises  of  the  learned 
even  yet  at  times  blinded  her  to  her  own  defects.  In  her  later  years  she 
went  over  to  the  sect  of  the  Labadists,  which  appears  to  have  some  points 
in  common  with  that  of  the  Muckers.  She  died  unmarried,  as  an  early 
love-affair  in  her  15th  year  with  the  Dutchman  Caets  had  been  broken  off. 
It  is  related  of  her  as  a  strange  fancy  that  she  liked  to  eat  spiders.  The 
celebrated  Spanheim  was  the  first  to  publish  an  edition  of  her  works  under 
the  title  of  "  Annse  Maria?  a  Schurman  opuscula."  Leyden,  1648. 
*  Luther's  version. 


38  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  x. 

Item.  When  his  Princely  Highness  had  also  inquired  con- 
cerning myself  and  my  cure,  and  heard  that  I  was  of  ancient 
and  noble  family,  and  my  salarium  very  small,  he  called  from 
the  window  to  his  chancellor,  D.  Rungius,  who  stood  without, 
looking  at  the  sun-dial,  and  told  him  that  I  was  to  have  an  ad- 
dition from  the  convent  at  Pudgla,  item,  from  the  crown-lands 
at  Ernsthoff,  as  I  mentioned  above,  but,  more's  the  pity,  I  never 
have  received  the  same,  although  the  instrumentum  donationis 
was  sent  me  soon  after  by  his  Princely  Highness  chancellor. 

Then  cakes  were  brought  for  me  also,  item,  a  glass  of 
foreign  wine  in  a  glass  painted  with  armorial  bearings,  where- 
upon I  humbly  took  my  leave,  together  with  my  daughter. 

However,  to  come  back  to  my  bargain,  anybody  may  guess 
what  joy  my  child  felt  when  I  showed  her  the  fair  ducats  and 
florins  I  had  gotten  for  the  amber.  To  the  maid,  however,  we 
said  that  we  had  inherited  such  riches  from  my  brother  in  Hol- 
land, and  after  we  had  again  given  thanks  to  the  Lord  on  our 
knees,  and  eaten  our  dinner,  we  bought  in  a  great  store  of 
bread,  salt,  meat,  and  stock-fish :  item,  of  clothes,  seeing  that 
I  provided  what  was  needful  for  us  three  throughout  the  win- 
ter from  the  cloth-merchant.  Moreover,  for  my  daughter,  I 
bought  a  hair-net  and  a  scarlet  silk  boddice,  with  a  black  apron 
and  a  white  petticoat,  item,  a  fine  pair  of  ear-rings,  as  she  beg- 
ged hard  for  them ;  and  as  soon  as  I  had  ordered  the  needful 
from  the  cordwainer  we  set  out  on  our  way  homeward,  as  it 
began  to  grow  very  dark ;  but  we  could  not  carry  nearly  all 
we  had  bought.  Wherefore  we  were  forced  to  get  a  peasant 
from  Bannemin  to  help  us,  who  likewise  was  come  into  the 
town,  and  as  I  found  out  from  him  that  the  fellow  who  gave  me 
the  piece  of  bread  was  a  poor  cotter  called  Pantermehl,  who 
dwelt  in  the  village  by  the  roadside,  I  shoved  a  couple  of  loaves 
in  at  his  house-door  without  his  knowing  it,  and  we  went  on 
our  way  by  the  bright  moonlight,  so  that  by  the  help  of  God 
we  got  home  about  ten  o'clock  at  night.  I  likewise  gave  a 
loaf  to  the  other  fellow,  though  truly  he  deserved  it  not,  seeing 
that  he  would  go  with  us  no  further  than  to  Zitze.  But  I  let 
him  go,  for  I,  too,  had  not  deserved  that  the  Lord  should  so 
greatly  bless  me. 


CHAP,  xi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  39 


CHAPTER  XI. 

How  I  fed  all  the  congregation  :  item,  how  I  journeyed  to  the  horse-fair  of 
Giitzkow,  and  what  befel  me  there. 

NEXT  morning  my  daughter  cut  up  the  blessed  bread,  and  sent 
to  every  one  in  the  village  a  good  large  piece.  But  as  we  saw 
that  our  store  would  soon  run  low,  we  sent  the  maid  with  a 
truck,  which  we  bought  of  Adam  Lempken,  to  Wolgast  to  buy 
more  bread,  which  she  did.  Item,  I  gave  notice  throughout  the 
parish  that  on  Sunday  next  I  should  administer  the  blessed 
sacrament,  and  in  the  mean  time  I  bought  up  all  the  large  fish 
that  the  people  of  the  village  had  caught.  And  when  the 
blessed  Sunday  was  come  I  first  heard  the  confessions  of  the 
whole  parish,  and  after  that  I  preached  a  sermon  on  Matt.  xv. 
32,  "  I  have  compassion  on  the  multitude  ....  for  they  have 
nothing  to  eat."  I  first  applied  the  same  to  spiritual  food  only, 
and  there  arose  a  great  sighing  from  both  the  men  and  women, 
when,  at  the  end,  I  pointed  to  the  altar  whereon  stood  the  blessed 
food  for  the  soul,  and  repeated  the  words,  "  I  have  compassion 
on  the  multitude  ....  for  they  have  nothing  to  eat."  (N.B. 
The  pewter  cup  I  had  borrowed  at  Wolgast,  and  bought  there 
a  little  earthenware  plate  for  a  paten  till  such  time  as  Master 
Bloom  should  have  made  ready  the  silver  cup  and  paten  I  had 
bespoke.)  Thereupon  as  soon  as  I  had  consecrated  and  admin- 
istered the  blessed  sacrament,  item,  led  the  closing  hymn,  and 
every  one  had  silently  prayed  his  "  Our  Father"  before  going 
out  of  the  church,  I  came  out  of  the  confessional  again,  and 
motioned  the  people  to  stay  yet  awhile,  as  the  blessed  Saviour 
would  feed  not  only  their  souls,  but  their  bodies  also,  seeing 
that  he  still  had  the  same  compassion  on  his  people  as  of  old  on 
the  people  at  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  as  they  should  presently  see. 
Then  I  went  into  the  tower  and  fetched  out  two  baskets,  which 
the  maid  had  bought  at  Wolgast,  and  which  I  had  hidden  there 


40  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xi. 

in  good  time  ;  set  them  down  in  front  of  the  altar,  and  took  off 
the  napkins  with  which  they  were  covered,  whereupon  a  very 
loud  shout  arose,  inasmuch  as  they  saw  one  filled  with  broiled 
fish  and  the  other  with  bread,  which  we  had  put  into  them  pri- 
vately. Hereupon,  like  our  Saviour,  I  gave  thanks  and  brake 
it,  and  gave  it  to  the  churchwarden  Hinrich  Seden,  that  he 
might  distribute  it  among  the  men,  and  to  my  daughter  for  the 
women.  Whereupon  I  made  application  of  the  text,  "  I  have 
compassion  on  the  multitude,  for  they  have  nothing  to  eat,"  to 
the  food  of  the  body  also ;  and  walking  up  and  down  in  the 
church  amid  great  outcries  from  all,  I  exhorted  them  ahvay  to 
trust  in  God's  mercy,  to  pray  without  ceasing,  to  work  dili- 
gently, and  to  consent  to  no  sin.  What  was  left  I  made  them 
gather  up  for  their  children  and  the  old  people  who  were  left  at 
home. 

After  church,  when  I  had  scarce  put  off  my  surplice,  Hinrich 
Seden  his  squint-eyed  wife  came  and  impudently  asked  for 
more  for  her  husband's  journey  to  Liepe  ;  neither  had  she  had 
anything  for  herself,  seeing  she  had  not  come  to  church.  This 
angered  me  sore,  and  I  said  to  her,  "  Why  wast  thou  not  at 
church  ?  Nevertheless,  if  thou  hadst  come  humbly  to  me  thou 
shouldst  have  gotten  somewhat  even  now,  but  as  thou  comest 
impudently,  I  will  give  thee  naught :  think  on  what  thou  didst  to 
me  and  to  my  child."  But  she  stood  at  the  door  and  glowered 
impudently  about  the  room  till  my  daughter  took  her  by  the 
arm  and  led  her  out,  saying,  "  Hear'st  thou,  thou  shall  come 
back  humbly  before  thou  gett'st  anything,  but  when  thou  comest 
thus,  thou  also  shalt  have  thy  share,  for  we  will  no  longer  reckon 
with  thee  an  eye  for  an  eye  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth ;  let  the 
Lord  do  that  if  such  be  his  will,  but  we  will  gladly  forgive  thee  ?" 
Hereupon  she  at  last  went  out  at  the  door,  muttering  to  herself 
as  she  was  wont ;  but  she  spat  several  times  in  the  street,  as 
we  saw  from  the  window. 

Soon  after  I  made  up  my  mind  to  take  into  my  service  a  lad, 
near  upon  twenty  years  of  age,  called  Glaus  Neels,  seeing  that 
his  father,  old  Neels  of  Loddin,  begged  hard  that  I  would  do  so, 
besides  which  the  lad  pleased  me  well  in  manners  and  other- 
wise. Then,  as  we  had  a  good  harvest  this  year,  I  resolved  to 


CHAP,  xi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  41 

buy  me  a  couple  of  horses  forthwith,  and  to  sow  my  field  again ; 
for  although  it  was  now  late  in  the  year,  I  thought  that  the  most 
merciful  God  might  bless  the  crop  with  increase  if  it  seemed 
good  to  him. 

Neither  did  I  feel  much  care  with  respect  to  food  for  them, 
inasmuch  as  there  was  a  great  plenty  of  hay  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, seeing  that  all  the  cattle  had  been  killed  or  driven  away 
(as  related  above).  I  therefore  made  up  my  mind  to  go  in  God's 
name  with  my  new  ploughman  to  Giitzkow,  whither  a  great 
many  Mecklenburg  horses  were  brought  to  the  fair,  seeing  that 
times  were  not  yet  so  bad  there  as  with  us.*  Meanwhile  I 
went  a  few  more  times  up  the  Streckelberg  with  my  daughter 
at  night,  and  by  moonlight,  but  found  very  little ;  so  that  we 
began  to  think  our  luck  had  come  to  an  end,  when,  on  the  third 
night,  we  broke  off  some  pieces  of  amber  bigger  even  than 
those  the  two  Dutchmen  had  bought.  These  I  resolved  to  send 
to  my  wife's  brother,  Martin  Behring,  at  Hamburg,  seeing  that 
the  schipper  Wulff  of  Wolgast  intends,  as  I  am  told,  to  sail 
thither  this  very  autumn,  with  pitch  and  wood  for  ship-build- 
ing. I  accordingly  packed  it  all  up  in  a  strong  chest,  which  I 
carried  with  me  to  Wolgast  when  I  started  with  my  man  on  my 
journey  to  Giitzkow.  Of  this  journey  I  will  only  relate  thus 
much,  that  there  were  plenty  of  horses,  and  very  few  buyers  in 
the  market.  Wherefore  I  bought  a  pair  of  fine  black  horses 
for  twenty  florins  a-piece ;  item,  a  cart  for  five  florins ;  item, 
twenty-five  bushels  of  rye  which  also  came  from  Mecklenburg, 
at  one  florin  the  bushel,  whereas  it  is  hardly  to  be  had  now  at 
Wolgast  for  love  or  money,  and  costs  three  florins  or  more  the 
bushel.  I  might  therefore  have  made  a  good  bargain  in  rye  at 
Giitzkow  if  it  had  become  my  office,  and  had  I  not,  moreover, 
been  afraid  lest  the  robbers,  who  swarm  in  these  evil  times, 
should  take  away  my  corn,  and  ill-use,  and  perchance  murder 
me  into  the  bargain,  as  has  happened  to  sundry  people  already. 
For,  at  this  time  especially,  such  robberies  were  carried  on 
after  a  strange  and  frightful  fashion  on  Strellin  heath  at  Giitz- 

*  The  fief  of  Mecklenburg  was  given  by  the  Emperor  to  Wallenstein,  who 
spared  the  country  as  much  as  he  could. 


42  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xi. 

kow ;  but  by  God's  help.it  all  came  to  light  just  as  I  journeyed 
thither  with  my  man-servant  to  the  fair,  and  I  will  here  tell  how  it 
happened.  Some  months  before  a  man  had  been  broken  on  the 
wheel  at  Giitzkow,  because,  being  tempted  of  Satan,  he  mur- 
dered a  travelling  workman.  The  man,  however,  straightway 
began  to  walk  after  so  fearful  a  fashion,  that  in  the  evening  and 
night-season  he  sprang  down  from  the  wheel  in  his  gallows' 
dress  whenever  a  cart  passed  by  the  gallows,  which  stands 
hard  by  the  road  to  Wolgast,  and  jumped  up  behind  the  peo- 
ple, who  in  horror  and  dismay  flogged  on  their  horses,  and 
thereby  make  a  great  rattling  on  the  log-embankment  which 
leads  beside  the  gallows  into  a  little  wood  called  the  Kraulin. 
And  it  was  a  strange  thing  that  on  the  same  night  the  travellers 
were  almost  always  robbed  or  murdered  on  Strellin  heath. 
Hereupon  the  magistrates  had  the  man  taken  down  from  the 
wheel,  and  buried  under  the  gallows,  in  hopes  of  laying  his 
ghost.  But  it  went  on  just  as  before,  sitting  at  night  snow- 
white  on  the  wheel,  so  that  none  durst  any  longer  travel  the 
road  to  Wolgast.  Until  at  last  it  happened  that,  at  the  time  of 
the  above-named  fair,  young  Riidiger  von  Nienkerken  of 
Mellenthin,  in  Usedom,  who  had  been  studying  at  Wittenberg 
and  elsewhere,  and  was  now  on  his  way  home,  came  this  road  by 
night  with  his  carriage.  Just  before,  at  the  inn,  I  myself  had  tried 
to  persuade  him  to  stop  the  night  at  Giitzkow  on  account  of  the 
ghost,  and  to  go  on  his  journey  with  me  next  morning,  but  he  would 
not.  Now  as  soon  as  this  young  lord  drove  along  the  road,  he 
also  espied  the  apparition  sitting  on  the  wheel,  and  scarcely  had 
he  passed  the  gallows  when  the  ghost  jumped  down  and  ran 
after  him.  The  driver  was  horribly  afraid,  and  lashed  on  the 
horses  as  everybody  else  had  done  before,  and  they,  taking 
fright,  galloped  away  over  the  log-road  with  a  marvellous  clat- 
ter. Meanwhile,  however,  the  young  nobleman  saw  by  the 
light  of  the  moon  how  that  the  apparition  flattened  a  ball  of 
horse-dung  whereon  it  trod,  and  straightway  felt  sure  within 
himself  that  it  was  no  ghost.  Whereupon  he  called  to  the 
driver  to  stop  ;  and  as  the  man  would  not  hearken  to  him,  he 
sprung  out  of  the  carriage,  drew  his  rapier,  and  hastened  to 
attack  the  ghost.  When  the  ghost  saw  this  he  would  have 


CHAP  xi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  43 

turned  and  fled ;  but  the  young  nobleman  gave  him  such  a  blow 
on  the  head  with  his  fist  that  he  fell  upon  the  ground  with  a 
loud  wailing.  Summa :  the  young  lord,  having  called  back  his 
driver,  dragged  the  ghost  into  the  town  again,  where  he  turned 
out  to  be  a  shoemaker  called  Schwelm. 

I  also,  on  seeing  such  a  great  crowd,  ran  thither  with  many 
others,  to  look  at  the  fellow.  He  trembled  like  an  aspen  leaf; 
and  when  he  was  roughly  told  to  make  a  clean  breast,  whereby 
he  might  peradventure  save  his  own  life,  if  it  appeared  that  he 
had  murdered  no  one,  he  confessed  that  he  had  got  his  wife  to 
make  him  a  gallows'  dress,  which  he  had  put  on,  and  had  sat 
on  the  wheel  before  the  dead  man,  when,  from  the  darkness 
and  the  distance,  no  one  could  see  that  the  two  were  sitting 
there  together ;  and  this  he  did  more  especially  when  he  knew 
that  a  cart  was  going  from  the  town  to  Wolgast.  When  the 
cart  came  by,  and  he  jumped  down  and  ran  after  it,  all  the  people 
were  so  affrighted  that  they  no  longer  kept  their  eyes  upon  the 
gallows,  but  only  on  him,  flogged  the  horses,  and  galloped  with 
much  noise  and  clatter  over  the  log-embankment.  This  was 
heard  by  his  fellows  in  Strellin  and  Dammbecke  (two  villages 
which  are  about  three-fourths  on  the  way),  who  held  them- 
selves ready  to  unyoke  the  horses  and  to  plunder  the  travellers 
when  they  came  up  with  them.  That  after  the  dead  man  was 
buried  he  could  play  the  ghost  more  easily  still,  &c.  That  this 
was  the  whole  truth,  and  that  he  himself  had  never  in  his  life 
robbed,  still  less  murdered,  any  one  ;  wherefore  he  begged  to  be 
forgiven  :  that  all  the  robberies  and  murders  which  had  happened 
had  been  done  by  his  fellows  alone.  Ah,  thou  cunning  knave  ! 
But  I  heard  afterwards  that  he  and  his  fellows  were  broken  on 
the  wheel  together,  as  was  but  fair. 

And  now  to  come  back  to  my  journey.  The  young  noble- 
man abode  that  night  with  me  at  the  inn,  and  early  next  morn- 
ing we  both  set  forth ;  and  as  we  had  grown  into  good  fellow- 
ship together,  I  got  into  his  coach  with  him  as  he  offered  me,  so 
as  to  talk  by  the  way,  and  my  Glaus  drove  behind  us.  I  soon 
found  that  he  was  a  well-bred,  honest,  and  learned  gentleman, 
seeing  that  he  despised  the  wild  student  life,  and  was  glad  that 
he  had  now  done  with  their  scandalous  drinking-bouts :  more- 


44  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xi. 

over,  he  talked  his  Latin  readily.  I  had  therefore  much  plea- 
sure with  him  in  the  coach.  However,  at  Wolgast  the  rope  of 
the  ferry-boat  broke,  so  that  we  were  carried  down  the  stream 
to  Zeuzin,*  and  at  length  we  only  got  ashore  with  great  trouble. 
Meanwhile  it  grew  late,  and  we  did  not  get  into  Coserow  till 
nine,  when  I  asked  the  young  lord  to  abide  the  night  with  me, 
which  he  agreed  to  do.  We  found  my  child  sitting  in  the  chim- 
ney corner,  making  a  petticoat  for  her  little  god-daughter  out 
of  her  own  old  clothes.  She  was  greatly  frighted,  and  changed 
color  when  she  saw  the  young  lord  come  in  with  me,  and  heard 
that  he  was  to  lie  there  that  night,  seeing  that  as  yet  we  had  no 
more  beds  than  we  had  bought  for  our  own  need  from  old  Zabel 
Nering  the  forest-ranger  his  widow,  at  Uekeritze.  Wherefore 
she  took  me  aside  :  What  was  to  be  done  ?  My  bed  was  in  an 
ill  plight,  her  little  godchild  having  lain  on  it  that  morning : 
and  she  could  nowise  put  the  young  nobleman  into  hers,  although 
she  would  willingly  creep  in  by  the  maid  herself.  And  when 
I  asked  her  why  not  ?  she  blushed  scarlet,  and  began  to  cry, 
and  would  not  show  herself  again  the  whole  evening,  so  that 
the  maid  had  to  see  to  everything,  even  to  the  putting  white 
sheets  on  my  child's  bed  for  the  young  lord,  as  she  would  not 
do  it  herself.  I  only  tell  this  to  show  how  maidens  are.  For 
next  morning  she  came  into  the  room  with  her  red  silk  boddice, 
and  the  net  on  her  hair,  and  the  apron  ;  summa,  dressed  in  all 
the  things  I  had  bought  her  at  Wolgast,  so  that  the  young  lord 
was  amazed,  and  talked  much  with  her  over  the  morning  meal. 
Whereupon  he  took  his  leave,  and  desired  me  to  visit  him  at  his 
castle. 

*  Now  Sauzin. 


CHAP,  xii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  45 


CHAPTER   XII. 

What  further  joy  and  sorrow  befel  us  :  item,  how  Wittich  Appelmann  rode 
to  Damerow  to  the  wolf-hunt,  and  what  he  proposed  to  my  daughter. 

THE  Lord  blessed  my  parish  wonderfully  this  winter,  inasmuch 
as  not  only  a  great  quantity  of  fish  were  caught  and  sold  in  all 
the  villages,  but  in  Coserow  they  even  killed  four  seals :  item, 
the  great  storm  of  the  12th  of  December  threw  a  goodly  quan- 
tity of  amber  on  the  shore,  so  that  many  found  amber,  although 
no  very  large  pieces,  and  they  began  to  buy  cows  and  sheep 
from  Liepe  and  other  places,  as  I  myself  also  bought  two  cows ; 
item,  my  grain  which  I  had  sown,  half  on  my  own  field  and  half 
on  old  Paasch's,  sprung  up  bravely  and  gladly,  as  the  Lord  had 
till  datum  bestowed  on  us  an  open  winter ;  but  so  soon  as  it  had 
shot  up  a  finger's  length,  we  found  it  one  morning  again  torn 
up  and  ruined,  and  this  time  also  by  the  devil's  doings,  since 
now,  as  before,  not  the  smallest  trace  of  oxen  or  of  horses  was 
to  be  seen  in  the  field.  May  the  righteous  God,  however,  re- 
ward it,  as  indeed  he  already  has  done.  Amen. 

Meanwhile,  however,  something  uncommon  happened.  For 
one  morning,  as  I  have  heard,  when  lord  Wittich  saw  out  of  the 
window  that  the  daughter  of  his  fisherman,  a  child  of  sixteen, 
whom  he  had  diligently  pursued,  went  into  the  coppice  to  gather 
dry  sticks,  he  went  thither  too ;  wherefore,  I  will  not  say,  but 
every  one  may  guess  for  himself.  When  he  had  gone  some 
way  along  the  convent  mound,  and  was  come  to  the  first  bridge, 
where  the  mountain-ash  stands,  he  saw  two  wolves,  coming  to- 
wards him ;  and  as  he  had  no  weapon  with  him,  save  a  staff,  he 
climbed  up  into  a  tree ;  whereupon  the  wolves  trotted  round  it, 
blinked  at  him  with  their  eyes,  licked  their  lips,  and  at  last 
jumped  with  their  fore-paws  up  against  the  tree,  snapping  at 
him ;  he  then  saw  that  one  was  a  he-wolf,  a  great  fat  brute 


46  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  XH. 

with  only  one  eye.  Hereupon  in  his  fright  he  began  to  scream, 
and  the  long-suffering  of  God  was  again  shown  to  him,  without, 
however,  making  him  wiser ;  for  the  maiden,  who  had  crept 
behind  a  juniper-bush  in  the  field,  when  she  saw  the  Sheriff 
coming,  ran  back  again  to  the  castle  and  called  together  a  num- 
ber of  people,  who  came  and  drove  away  the  wolves,  and  res- 
cued his  lordship.  He  then  ordered  a  great  wolf-hunt  to  be 
held  next  day  in  the  convent  wood,  and  he  who  brought  the  one- 
eyed  monster,  dead  or  alive,  was  to  have  a  barrel  of  beer  for 
his  pains.  Still  they  could  not  catch  him,  albeit  they  that  day 
took  four  wolves  in  their  nets,  and  killed  them.  He  therefore 
straightway  ordered  a  wolf-hunt  to  be  held  in  my  parish.  But 
when  the  fellow  came  to  toll  the  bell  for  a  wolf-hunt,  he  did  not 
stop  awhile,  as  is  the  wont  for  wolf-hunts,  but  loudly  rang  the 
bell  on,  sine  mord,  so  that  all  the  folk  thought  that  a  fire  had 
broken  out,  and  ran  screaming  out  of  their  houses.  My  child 
also  came  running  out  (I  myself  had  driven  to  visit  a  sick  per- 
son at  Zempin,  seeing  that  walking  began  to  be  wearisome  to 
me,  and  that  I  could  now  afford  to  be  more  at  mine  ease) ;  but 
she  had  not  stood  long,  and  was  asking  the  reason  of  the  ring- 
ing, when  the  Sheriff  himself,  on  his  grey  charger,  with  three 
cart-lods  of  toils  and  nets  following  him,  galloped  up  and  or- 
dered the  people  straightway  to  go  into  the  forest  and  to  drive 
the  wolves  with  rattles.  Hereupon  he,  with  his  hunters  and  a 
few  men  whom  he  had  picked  out  of  the  crowd,  were  to  ride  on 
and  spread  the  nets  behind  Damerow,  seeing  that  the  island  is 
wondrous  narrow  there,*  and  the  wolf  dreads  the  water.  When 
he  saw  my  daughter  he  turned  his  horse  round,  chucked  her 
under  the  chin,  and  graciously  asked  her  who  she  was,  and 
whence  she  came  ?  When  he  had  heard  it,  he  said  she  was  as 
fair  as  an  angel,  and  that  he  had  not  known  till  now  that  the 
parson  here  had  so  beauteous  a  girl.  He  then  rode  off,  looking 
round  at  her  two  or  three  times.  At  the  first  beating  they  found 
the  one-eyed  wolf,  who  lay  in  the  rushes  near  the  water.  Hereat 
his  lordship  rejoiced  greatly,  and  made  the  grooms  drag  him  out 

*  The  space,  which   is  constantly  diminishing,  now  scarcely  measures  a 
bow-shot  across. 


CHAP,  xii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  47 

of  the  net  with  long  iron  hooks,  and  hold  him  there  for  near  an 
hour,  while  my  lord  slowly  and  cruelly  tortured  him  to  death, 
laughing  heartily  the  while,  which  is  a  prognosticon  of  what  he 
afterwards  did  with  my  poor  child,  for  wolf  or  lamb  is  all  one  to 
this  villain.  Just  God  !  But  I  will  not  be  beforehand  with  my 
tale. 

Next  day  came  old  Seden  his  squint-eyed  wife,  limping  like  a 
lame  dog,  and  put  it  to  my  daughter  whether  she  would  not  go 
into  the  service  of  the  Sheriff;  praised  him  as  a  good  and  pious 
man  ;  and  vowed  that  all  the  world  said  of  him  were  foul  lies, 
as  she  herself  could  bear  witness,  seeing  that  she  had  lived  in  his 
service  for  above  ten  years.  Item,  she  praised  the  good  cheer 
they  had  there,  and  the  handsome  beer-money  that  the  great  lords 
who  often  lay  there  gave  the  servants  which  waited  upon  them ; 
that  she  herself  had  more  than  once  received  a  rosenoble  from 
his  Princely  Highness  Duke  Ernest  Ludewig  ;  moreover,  many 
pretty  fellows  came  there,  which  might  make  her  fortune,  inas- 
much as  she  was  a  fair  woman,  and  might  take  her  choice  of  a 
husband  ;  whereas  here  in  Coserow,  where  nobody  ever  came, 
she  might  wait  till  she  was  old  and  ugly,  before  she  got  a  curch 
on  her  head.  &c.  Hereat  my  daughter  was  beyond  measure 
angered,  and  answered,  "  Ah  !  thou  old  witch,  and  who  has  told 
thee  that  I  wish  to  go  into  service,  to  get  a  curch  on  my  head  ? 
Go  thy  ways,  and  never  enter  the  house  again,  for  I  have  naught 
to  do  with  thee."  Whereupon  she  walked  away  again,  muttering 
between  her  teeth. 

Scarce  had  a  few  days  passed,  and  I  was  standing  in  the 
chamber  with  the  glazier,  who  was  putting  in  new  windows,  when 
I  heard  my  daughter  scream  in  the  kitchen.  Whereupon  I 
straightway  ran  in  thither,  and  was  shocked  and  affrighted  when 
I  saw  the  Sheriff  himself  standing  in  the  corner  with  his  arm 
round  my  child  her  neck  ;  he,  however,  presently  let  her  go,  and 
said  :  "  Ah,  reverend  Abraham,  what  a  coy  little  fool  you  have 
for  a  daughter  !  I  wanted  to  greet  her  with  a  kiss,  as  I  always 
use  to  do,  and  she  struggled  and  cried  out  as  if  I  had  been  some 
young  fellow  who  had  stolen  in  upon  her,  whereas  I  might  be 
her  father  twice  over."  As  I  answered  naught,  he  went  on  to 


48  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xn. 

say  that  he  had  done  it  to  encourage  her,  seeing  that  he  desired 
to  take  her  into  his  service,  as  indeed  I  knew,  with  more  excuses 
of  the  same  kind  which  I  have  forgot.  Hereupon  I  pressed  him 
to  come  into  the  room,  seeing  that  after  all  Tie  was  the  ruler  set 
over  me  by  God,  and  humbly  asked  what  his  lordship  desired  of 
me.  Whereupon  he  answered  me  graciously,  that  it  was  true 
he  had  just  cause  for  anger  against  me,  seeing  that  I  had  preached 
at  him  before  the  whole  congregation,  but  that  he  was  ready  to 
forgive  me  and  to  have  the  complaint  he  had  sent  in  contra  me 
to  his  Princely  Highness  at  Stettin,  and  which  might  easily  cost 
me  my  place,  returned  to  him  if  I  would  but  do  his  will.  And 
when  I  asked  what  his  lordship's  will  might  be,  and  excused 
myself  as  best  I  might  with  regard  to  the  sermon,  he  answered 
that  he  stood  in  great  need  of  a  faithful  housekeeper  whom  he 
could  set  over  the  other  women  folk  ;  and  as  he  had  learnt  that 
my  daughter  was  a  faithful  and  trustworthy  person,  he  would 
that  I  should  send  her  into  his  service.  "See  there,"  said  he  to 
her,  and  pinched  her  cheek  the  while.  "  I  want  to  lead  you  to 
honor,  though  you  are  such  a  young  creature,  and  yet  you  cry 
out  as  if  I  were  going  to  bring  you  to  dishonor.  Fie  upon  you  !" 
(My  child  still  remembers  all  his  verlotcnus  ;  I  myself  should 
have  forgot  it  a  hundred  times  over  in  all  the  wretchedness  I 
since  underwent.)  But  she  was  offended  at  his  words,  and, 
jumping  up  from  her  seat,  she  answered  shortly,  "  I  thank  your 
lordship  for  the  honor,  but  will  only  keep  house  for  my  papa, 
which  is  a  better  honor  for  me  ;"  whereupon  he  turned  to  me 
and  asked  me  what  I  said  to  that.  I  must  own  that  I  was  not  a 
little  affrighted,  inasmuch  as  I  thought  of  the  future  and  of  the 
credit  in  which  the  Sheriff  stood  with  his  Princely  Highness.  I 
therefore  answered  with  all  humility,  that  I  could  not  force  my 
child,  and  that  I  loved  to  have  her  about  me,  seeing  that  my  dear 
huswife  had  departed  this  life  during  the  heavy  pestilence,  and 
I  had  no  child  but  only  her.  That  I  hoped  therefore  his  lordship 
would  not  be  displeased  with  me,  that  I  could  not  send  her  into 
his  lordship's  service.  This  angered  him  sore,  and  after  disput- 
ing some  time  longer  in  vain,  he  took  leave,  not  without  threats 
that  he  would  make  me  pay  for  it.  Item,  my  man,  who  was  stand- 


CHAP,  xn.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  49 

ing  in  the  stable,  heard  him  say  as  he  went  round  the  corner,  "  I 
will  have  her  yet,  in  spite  of  him  !" 

I  was  already  quite  disheartened  by  all  this,  when,  on  the  Sun- 
day following,  there  came  his  huntsman  Johannes  Kurt,  a  tall, 
handsome  fellow,  and  smartly  dressed.  He  brought  a  roebuck 
tied  before  him  on  his  horse,  and  said  that  his  lordship  had  sent  it 
to  me  for  a  present,  in  hopes  that  I  would  think  better  of  his  offer, 
seeing  that  he  had  been  ever  since  seeking  on  all  sides  for  a  house- 
keeper in  vain.  Moreover,  that  if  I  changed  my  mind  about  it 
his  lordship  would  speak  for  me  to  his  Princely  Highness,  so  that 
the  dotation  of  Duke  Philippus  Julius  should  be  paid  to  me  out  of 
the  princely  ararium,  &c.  But  the  young  fellow  got  the  same 
answer  as  his  master  had  done,  and  I  desired  him  to  take  the  roe- 
buck away  with  him  again.  But  this  he  refused  to  do  ;  and  as  I 
had  by  chance  told  him  at  first  that  game  was  my  favorite  meat, 
he  promised  to  supply  me  with  it  abundantly,  seeing  that  there 
was  plenty  of  game  in  the  forest,  and  that  he  often  went  a-hunting 
on  the  Streckelberg ;  moreover,  that  I  (he  meant  my  daughter) 
pleased  him  uncommonly,  the  more  because  I  would  not  do  his 
master's  will,  who,  as  he  told  me  in  confidence,  would  never  leave 
any  girl  in  peace,  and  certainly  would  not  let  my  damsel  alone. 
Although  I  had  rejected  his  game,  he  brought  it  notwithstanding, 
and  in  the  course  of  three  weeks  he  was  sure  to  come  four  or  five 
times,  and  g  ew  more  and  more  sweet  upon  my  daughter.  He 
talked  a  vast  deal  about  his  good  place,  and  how  he  was  in  search 
of  a  good  huswife,  whence  we  soon  guessed  what  quarter  the  wind 
belw  from.  Ergo,  my  daughter  told  him  that  if  he  was  seeking 
for  a  huswife  she  wondered  that  he  lost  his  time  in  riding  to  Cose- 
row  to  no  purpose,  for  that  she  knew  no  huswife  for  him  there, 
which  vexed  him  so  sore  that  he  never  came  again. 

And  now  any  one  would  think  that  the  grapes  were  sour  even 
for  the  Sheriff;  nevertheless  he  came  riding  to  us  soon  after, 
and  without  more  ado  asked  my  daughter  in  marriage  for  his 
huntsman.  Moreover,  he  promised  to  build  him  a  house  of  his 
own  in  the  forest ;  item,  to  give  him  pots  and  kettles,  crockery, 
bedding,  &c.,  seeing  that  he  had  stood  godfather  to  the  young 
fellow,  who,  moreover,  had  ever  borne  himself  well  during 
seven  years  he  had  been  in  his  service.  Hereupon  my  daugh- 
5 


5b  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  in. 

ter  answered  that  his  lordship  had  already  heard  that  she  would 
keep  house  for  nobody  but  her  papa,  and  she  was  still  much  too 
young  to  become  a  huswife. 

This,  however,  did  not  seem  to  anger  him,  but,  after  he  had 
talked  a  long  time  to  no  purpose,  he  took  his  leave  quite  kind- 
ly, like  a  cat  which  pretends  to  let  a  mouse  go,  and  creeps  be- 
hind the  corners,  but  she  is  not  in  earnest,  and  presently  springs 
out  upon  it  again.  For  doubtless  he  saw  that  he  had  set  to 
work  stupidly ;  wherefore  he  went  away  in  order  to  begin  his 
attack  again  after  a  better  fashion,  and  Satan  went  with  him, 
as  whilom  with  Judas  Iscariot. 


CHAP,  mi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  51 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

What  more  happened  during  the  Winter :  item,  how  in  the  Spring  witch- 
craft began  in  the  village. 

NOTHING  else  of  note  happened  during  the  winter,  save  that  the 
merciful  God  bestowed  a  great  plenty  of  fish  both  from  the 
Achterwater  and  the  sea,  and  the  parish  again  had  good  food  ; 
so  that  it  might  be  said  of  us,  as  it  is  written,  "  For  a  small 
moment  have  I  forsaken  thee ;  but  with  great  mercies  will  I 
gather  thee."*  Wherefore  we  were  not  weary  of  praising  the 
Lord  ;  and  the  whole  congregation  did  much  for  the  church, 
buying  new  pulpit  and  altar  cloths,  seeing  that  the  enemy  had 
stolen  the  old  ones.  Item,  they  desired  to  make  good  to  me  the 
money  I  had  paid  for  the  new  cups,  which,  however,  I  would 
not  take. 

There  were  still,  however,  about  ten  peasants  in  the  parish 
who  had  not  been  able  to  buy  their  seed-corn  for  the  spring, 
inasmuch  as  they  had  spent  all  their  earnings  on  cattle  and 
corn  for  bread.  I  therefore  made  an  agreement  with  them  that 
I  would  lend  them  the  money  for  it,  and  that  if  they  could  not 
repay  me  this  year,  they  might  the  next,  which  offer  they 
thankfully  took  ;  and  we  sent  seven  waggons  to  Friedland,  in 
Mechlenburg,  to  fetch  seed-corn  for  us  all.  For  my  beloved 
brother-in-law,  Martin  Behring,  in  Hamburg,  had  already  sent 
me  by  the  schipper  Wulf,  who  had  sailed  home  by  Christmas, 
700  florins  for  the  amber  :  may  the  Lord  prosper  it  with  him  ! 

Old  Thiemcke  died  this  winter  in  Loddin,  who  used  to  be  the 
midwife  in  the  parish,  and  had  also  brought  my  child  into  the 
world.  Of  late,  however,  she  had  had  but  little  to  do,  seeing 
that  in  this  year  I  had  only  baptized  two  children,  namely, 
Jung  his  son  in  Uekeritze,  and  Lene  Hebers  her  little  daugh- 

*  Isa.  liv.  7. 


52  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xin. 

ter,  the  same  whom  the  Imperialists  afterwards  speared.  Item, 
it  was  now  full  five  years  since  I  had  married  the  last  couple. 
Hence  any  one  may  guess  that  I  might  have  starved  to  death, 
had  not  the  righteous  God  so  mercifully  considered  and  blessed 
me  in  other  ways.  Wherefore  to  him  alone  be  all  honor  and 
glory.  Amen. 

Meanwhile,  however,  it  so  happened  that}  not  long  after  the 
Sheriff  had  last  been  here,  witchcraft  began  in  the  village.  I 
sat  reading  with  my  child  the  second  book  of  Virgilius  of  the 
fearful  destruction  of  the  city  of  Troy,  which  was  more  terri- 
ble even  than  that  of  our  own  village,  when  a  cry  arose  that 
our  old  neighbor  Zabel  his  red  cow,  which  he  had  bought  only 
a  few  days  before,  had  stretched  out  all  fours,  and  seemed 
about  to  die ;  and  this  was  the  more  strange  as  she  had  fed 
heartily  but  half  an  hour  before.  My  child  was  therefore 
begged  to  go  and  pluck  three  hairs  from  its  tail  and  bury  them 
under  the  threshold  of  the  stall ;  for  it  was  well  known  that  if 
this  was  done  by  a  pure  maid  the  cow  would  get  better.  My 
child  then  did  as  they  would  have  her,  seeing  that  she  is  the 
only  maid  in  the  whole  village  (for  the  others  are  still  children) ; 
and  the  cow  got  better  from  that  very  hour,  whereat  all  the 
folks  were  amazed.  But  it  was  not  long  before  the  same  thing 
befell  Witthahn  her  pig,  whilst  it  was  feeding  heartily.  She 
too  came  running  to  beg  my  child  for  God's  sake  to  take  com- 
passion on  her,  and  to  do  something  for  her  pig,  as  ill  men  had 
bewitched  it.  Hereupon  she  had  pity  upon  her  also ;  and  it 
did  as  much  good  as  it  had  done  before.  But  the  woman,  who 
was  gravida,  was  straightway  taken  in  labor  from  the  fright ; 
and  my  child  was  scarce  out  of  the  pigstye  when  the  woman 
went  into  her  cottage,  wailing  and  holding  by  the  wall,  and 
called  together  all  the  women  of  the  neighborhood,  seeing 
that  the  proper  midwife  was  dead,  as  mentioned  above ;  and 
before  long  something  shot  to  the  ground  from  under  her  ;  and 
when  the  women  stooped  down  to  pick  it  up,  the  devil's  imp, 
which  had  wings  like  a  bat,  flew  up  off  the  ground,  whizzed 
and  buzzed  about  the  room,  and  then  shot  out  of  the  window 
with  a  great  noise,  so  that  the  glass  clattered  down  into  the 
street.  When  they  looked  after  it,  nothing  was  to  be  found. 


CHAP,  xin.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  53 

Any  one  may  judge  for  himself  what  a  great  noise  this  made 
in  all  the  neighborhood.  And  the  whole  village  believed  that 
it  was  no  one  but  old  Seden  his  squint-eyed  wife  that  had 
brought  forth  a  devil's  brat. 

But  the  people  soon  knew  not  what  to  believe.  For  that  wo- 
man her  cow  got  the  same  thing  as  all  the  other  cows ;  where- 
fore she  too  came  lamenting,  and  begged  my  daughter  to  take 
pity  on  her  as  on  the  rest,  and  to  cure  her  poor  cow  for  the  love 
of  God.  That  if  she  had  taken  it  ill  of  her  that  she  had  said  any- 
thing about  going  into  service  with  the  Sheriff,  she  could  only 
say  she  had  done  it  for  the  best,  &c.  Summa,  she  talked  over 
my  unhappy  child  to  go  and  cure  her  cow. 

Meanwhile  I  was  on  my  knees  every  Sunday  before  the  Lord 
with  the  whole  congregation,  praying  that  he  would  not  allow 
the  Evil  One  to  take  from  us  that  which  his  mercy  had  once 
more  bestowed  upon  us  after  such  extreme  want ;  item,  that  he 
would  bring  to  light  the  auctor  of  such  devilish  works,  so  that 
he  might  receive  the  punishment  he  deserved. 

But  all  was  of  no  avail.  Fora  very  few  days  had  passed 
when  the  mischief  befel  Stoffer  Zuter  his  spotted  cow,  and  he, 
too,  like  all  the  rest,  came  running  to  fetch  my  daughter ;  she 
accordingly  went  with  him,  but  could  do  no  good,  and  the  beast 
died  under  her  hands. 

Item,  Katy  Berow  had  bought  a  little  pig  with  the  money  my 
daughter  had  paid  her  in  the  winter  for  spinning,  and  the  poor 
woman  kept  it  like  a  child,  and  let  it  run  about  her  room.  This 
little  pig  got  the  mischief,  like  all  the  rest,  in  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye ;  and  when  my  daughter  was  called  it  grew  no  better, 
but  also  died  under  her  hands ;  whereupon  the  poor  woman 
made  a  great  outcry  and  tore  her  hair  for  grief,  so  that  my 
child  was  moved  to  pity  her,  and  promised  her  another  pig  next 
time  my  sow  should  litter.  Meanwhile  another  week  passed 
over,  during  which  I  went  on,  together  with  the  whole  congre- 
gation, to  call  upon  the  Lord  for  his  merciful  help,  but  all  in 
vain,  when  the  same  thing  happened  to  old  wife  Seden  her  lit- 
tle pig.  Whereupon  she  again  came  running  for  my  daughter 
with  loud  outcries,  and  although  my  child  told  her  that  she 
must  have  seen  herself  that  nothing  she  could  do  for  the  cattle 


54  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  Tin. 

cured  them  any  longer,  she  ceased  not  to  beg  and  pray  her  and 
to  lament  till  she  went  forth  to  do  what  she  could  for  her  with 
the  help  of  God.  But  it  was  all  to  no  purpose,  inasmuch  as  the 
little  pig  died  before  she  left  the  stye.  What  think  you  this 
devil's  whore  then  did  ?  After  she  had  run  screaming  through 
the  village  she  said  that  any  one  might  see  that  my  daughter 
was  no  longer  a  maid,  else  why  could  she  now  do  no  good  to 
the  cattle,  whereas  she  had  formerly  cured  them  ?  She  sup- 
posed my  child  had  lost  her  maiden  honor  on  the  Streckelberg, 
whither  she  went  so  often  this  spring,  and  that  God  only  knew 
who  had  taken  it !  But  she  said  no  more  then,  and  we  did  not 
hear  the  whole  until  afterwards.  And  it  is  indeed  true  that  my 
child  had  often  walked  on  the  Streckelberg  this  spring  both  with 
me  and  also  alone,  in  order  to  seek  for  flowers  and  to  look  upon 
the  blessed  sea,  while  she  recited  aloud,  as  she  was  wont,  such 
verses  out  of  Virgilius  as  pleased  her  best  (for  whatever  she 
read  a  few  times  that  she  remembered). 

Neither  did  I  forbid  her  to  take  these  walks,  for  there  were 
no  wolves  now  left  on  the  Streckelberg,  and  even  if  there  had 
been  they  always  fly  before  a  human  creature  in  the  summer 
season.  Howbeit,  I  forbade  her  to  dig  for  amber.  For  as  it 
now  lay  deep,  and  we  knew  not  what  to  do  with  the  earth  we 
threw  up,  I  resolved  to  tempt  the  Lord  no  further,  but  to  wait 
till  my  store  of  money  grew  very  scant  before  we  would  dig 
any  more. 

But  my  child  did  not  do  as  I  had  bidden  her,  although  she 
had  promised  she  would,  and  of  this  her  disobedience  came  all 
our  misery  (Oh,  blessed  Lord,  how  grave  a  matter  is  thy  holy 
fourth  *  commandment !).  For  as  his  reverence  Johannes  Lam- 
pius,  of  Crummin,  who  visited  me  this  spring,  had  told  me  that 
the  Cantor  of  Wolgast  wanted  to  sell  the  opp.  St.  Augustini, 
and  I  had  said  before  her  that  I  desired  above  all  things  to  buy 
that  book,  but  had  not  money  enough  left ;  she  got  up  in  the 
night  without  my  knowledge  to  dig  for  amber,  meaning  to  sell 
it  as  best  she  might  at  Wolgast,  in  order  secretly  to  present  me 
with  the  opp.  St.  Auguslim  on  my  birthday,  which  falls  on  the 

"  In  Luther's  version. 


CHAP,  xiii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  55 

28th  mensis  Augusti.  She  had  always  covered  over  the  earth 
she  cast  up  with  twigs  of  fir,  whereof  there  were  plenty  in  the 
forest,  so  that  no  one  should  perceive  anything  of  it. 

Meanwhile,  however,  it  befel  that  the  young  nobilis  Rudiger 
of  Nienkerken  came  riding  one  day  to  gat  er  news  of  the  ter- 
rible witchcraft  that  went  on  in  the  village.  When  I  had  told 
him  all  about  it  he  shook  his  head  doubtingly,  and  said  he  be- 
lieved that  all  witchcraft  was  nothing  but  lies  and  deceit; 
whereat  I  was  struck  with  great  horror,  inasmuch  as  I  had 
hitherto  held  the  young  lord  to  be  a  wiser  man,  and  now  could 
not  but  see  that  he  was  an  Atheist.  He  guessed  what  my 
thoughts  were,  and  with  a  smile  he  answered  me  by  asking 
whether  I  had  ever  read  Johannes  Wierus,*  who  would  hear 
nothing  of  witchcraft,  and  who  argued  that  all  witches  were 
melancholy  persons  who  only  imagined  to  themselves  that  they 
had  a  pactum  with  the  devil ;  and  that  to  him  they  seemed  more 
worthy  of  pity  than  of  punishment  ?  Hereupon  I  answered  that 
I  had  not  indeed  read  any  such  book  (for  say,  who  can  read 
all  that  fools  write  ?),  but  that  the  appearances  here  and  in  all 
other  places  proved  that  it  was  a  monstrous  error  to  deny  the 
reality  of  witchcraft,  inasmuch  as  people  might  then  likewise 
deny  that  there  were  such  things  as  murder,  adultery,  and 
theft. 

But  he  called  my  argumentum  a  dilemma,  and  after  he  had 
discoursed  a  great  deal  of  the  devil,  all  of  which  I  have  for- 
gotten, seeing  it  savored  strangely  of  heresy,  he  said  he  would 
relate  to  me  a  piece  of  witchcraft  which  he  himself  had  seen  at 
Wittenberg. 

It  seems  that  one  morning,  as  an  Imperial  captain  mounted 
his  good  charger  at  the  Elstergate  in  order  to  review  his  com- 

*  A  Netherland  physician,  who,  long  before  Spee  or  Thomasius,  at- 
tacked the  wicked  follies  of  the  belief  in  witchcraft  prevalent  in  his  time 
in  the  paper  entitled  "  Confutatio  opinionum  de  magorum  D&monomia," 
Frankfort,  1590,  and  was  therefore  denounced  by  Bodinus  and  others  as  one 
of  the  worst  magicians.  It  is  curious  that  this  liberal  man  had  in  another 
book,  "  De  preestigiis  Dcemonum,"  taught  the  method  of  raising  devils, 
and  described  the  whole  of  Hell,  with  the  names  and  surnames  of  its  572 
princes. 


56  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xin. 

pany,  the  horse  presently  began  to  rage  furiously,  reared,  tossed 
his  head,  snorted,  kicked,  and  roared  not  as  horses  use  to  neigh, 
but  with  a  sound  as  though  the  voice  came  from  a  human  throat, 
so  that  all  the  folks  were  amazed,  and  thought  the  horse  bewitched. 
It  presently  threw  the  captain  and  crushed  his  head  with  its  hoof, 
so  that  he  lay  writhing  on  the  ground,  and  straightway  set  off  at 
full  speed.  Hereupon  a  trooper  fired  his  carabine  at  the  be- 
witched horse,  which  fell  in  the  midst  of  the  road,  and  presently 
died.  That  he,  Riidiger,  had  then  drawn  near,  together  with 
many  others,  seeing  that  the  colonel  had  forthwith  given  orders 
to  the  surgeon  of  the  regiment  to  cut  open  the  horse  and  see  in 
what  state  it  was  inwardly.  However,  that  everything  was  quite 
right,  and  both  the  surgeon  and  army  physician  testified  that  the 
horse  was  thoroughly  sound  ;  whereupon  all  the  people  cried  out 
more  than  ever  about  witchcraft.  Meanwhile  he  himself  (I 
mean  the  young  noUlis)  saw  a  thin  smoke  coming  out  from  the 
horse's  nostrils,  and  on  stooping  down  to  look  what  it  might  be, 
he  drew  out  a  match  as  long  as  my  finger,  which  still  smouldered, 
and  which  some  wicked  fellow  had  privately  thrust  into  its  nose 
with  a  pin.  Hereupon  all  thoughts  of  witchcraft  were  at  an  end, 
and  search  was  made  for  the  culprit,  who  was  presently  found  to 
be  no  other  than  the  captain's  own  groom.  For  one  day  that 
his  master  had  dusted  his  jacket  for  him  he  swore  an  oath  that  he 
would  have  his  revenge,  which  indeed  the  provost-marshal  him- 
self had  heard  as  he  chanced  to  be  standing  in  the  stable.  Item, 
another  soldier  bore  witness  that  he  had  seen  the  fellow  cut  a 
piece  off  the  fuse  not  long  before  he  led  out  his  master's  horse. 
And  thus,  thought  the  young  lord,  would  it  be  with  all  witch- 
craft if  it  were  sifted  to  the  bottom  ;  like  as  I  myself  had  seen 
at  Glitzkow,  where  the  devil's  apparition  turned  out  to  be  a 
cordwainer,  and  that  one  day  I  should  own  that  it  was  the  same 
sort  of  thing  here  in  our  village.  By  reason  of  this  speech  I 
liked  not  the  young  nobleman  from  that  hour  forward,  believing 
him  to  be  an  Atheist.  Though,  indeed,  afterwards,  I  have  had 
cause  to  see  that  he  was  in  the  right,  more's  the  pity,  for  had  it 
not  been  for  him  what  would  have  become  of  my  daughter  ? 

But  I  will  say  nothing  beforehand. — Summa  :  I  walked  about 
the  room  in  great  displeasure  at  his  words,  while  the  young  lord 


CHAP,  xiii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  57 

began  to  argue  with  my  daughter  upon  witchcraft,  now  in  Latin, 
and  now  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  as  the  words  came  into  his  mouth, 
and  wanted  to  hear  her  mind  about  it.  But  she  answered  that 
she  was  a  foolish  thing,  and  could  have  no  opinion  on  the  mat- 
ter ;  but  that,  nevertheless,  she  believed  that  what  happened  in 
the  village  could  not  be  by  natural  means.  Hereupon  the  maid 
called  me  out  of  the  room  (I  forget  what  she  wanted  of  me) ; 
but  when  I  came  back  again  my  daughter  was  as  red  as  scar- 
let, and  the  nobleman  stood  close  before  her.  I  therefore  asked 
her,  as  soon  as  he  had  ridden  off,  whether  anything  had  hap- 
pened, which  she  at  first  denied,  but  afterwards  owned  that  he 
had  said  to  her  while  I  was  gone,  that  he  knew  but  one  person 
who  could  bewitch  ;  and  when  she  asked  him  who  that  person 
was,  he  caught  hold  of  her  hand  and  said,  "  It  is  yourself,  sweet 
maid ;  for  you  have  thrown  a  spell  upon  my  heart,  as  I  feel 
right  well !"  But  that  he  said  nothing  further,  but  only  gazed 
on  her  face  with  eager  eyes,  and  that  it  was  that  made  her 
so  red. 

But  this  is  the  way  with  maidens ;  they  ever  have  their  se- 
crets if  one's  back  is  turned  but  for  a  minute ;  and  the  pro- 
verb— 

"  To  drive  a  goose  and  watch  a  maid 
Needs  the  devil  himself  to  aid," 

is  but  too  true,  as  will  be  shown  hereafter,  more's  the  pity ! 


58  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xiv. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

How  old  Seden  disappeared  all  on  a  sudden  ;  item,  how  the  great  Gustavus 
Adolphus  came  to  Pomerania,  and  took  the  fort  at  Peenemvinde. 

WE  were  now  left  for  some  time  in  peace  from  witchcraft ;  un- 
less, indeed,  I  reckon  the  caterpillars,  which  miserably  de- 
stroyed my  orchard,  and  which  truly  were  a  strange  thing. 
For  the  trees  blossomed  so  fair  and  sweetly,  that  one  day  as  we 
were  walking  under  them,  and  praising  the  almighty  power  of 
the  most  merciful  God,  my  child  said,  "  If  the  Lord  goes  on  to 
bless  us  so  abundantly,  it  will  be  Christmas  Eve  with  us  every 
night  of  next  winter !"  But  things  soon  fell  out  far  otherwise. 
For  all  in  a  moment  the  trees  were  covered  with  such  swarms 
of  caterpillars  (great  and  small,  and  of  every  shape  and  color), 
that  one  might  have  measured  them  by  the  bushel  ;  and  before 
long  my  poor  trees  looked  like  brooms ;  and  the  blessed  fruit, 
which  was  so  well  set,  all  fell  off,  and  was  scarce  good  enough 
for  the  pigs.  I  do  not  choose  to  lay  this  to  any  one,  though  I 
had  my  own  private  thoughts  upon  the  matter,  and  have  them 
yet.  However,  my  barley,  whereof  I  had  sown  about  three 
bushels  out  on  the  common,  shot  up  bravely.  On  mjrfield  I 
had  sown  nothing,  seeing  that  I  dreaded  the  malice  of  Satan. 
Neither  was  corn  at  all  plentiful  throughout  the  parish,  in  part 
because  they  had  sown  no  winter  crops,  and  in  part  because 
the  summer  crops  did  not  prosper.  However,  in  all  the  vil- 
lages, a  great  supply  of  fish  was  caught  by  the  mercy  of  God, 
especially  herring ;  but  they  were  very  low  in  price.  More- 
over, they  killed  many  seals;  and  at  Whitsuntide  I  myself 
killed  one  as  I  walked  by  the  sea  with  my  daughter.  The 
creature  lay  on  a  rock  close  to  the  water,  snoring  like  a  Chris- 
tian. Thereupon  I  pulled  off  my  shoes  and  drew  near  him 
softly,  so  that  he  heard  me  not,  and  then  struck  him  over  his 


CHAP,  xrv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  59 

nose  with  my  staff  (for  a  seal  cannot  bear  much  on  his  nose), 
so  that  he  tumbled  over  into  the  water;  but  he  was  quite 
stunned,  and  I  could  easily  kill  him  outright.  It  was  a  fat 
beast,  though  not  very  large  ;  and  we  melted  forty  pots  of  train- 
oil  out  of  his  fat,  which  we  put  by  for  a  winter  store. 

Meanwhile,  however,  something  seized  old  Seden  all  at  once, 
so  that  he  wished  to  receive  the  holy  sacrament.  When  I  went 
to  him,  he  could  give  no  reason  for  it ;  or  perhaps  he  would 
give  none  for  fear  of  his  old  Lizzie,  who  was  always  watching 
him  with  her  squinting  eyes,  and  would  not  leave  the  room. 
However,  Zuter  his  little  girl,  a  child  near  twelve  years  old,  said 
that  a  few  days  before,  while  she  was  plucking  grass  for  the 
cattle  under  the  garden  hedge  by  the  road,  she  heard  the  hus- 
band and  wife  quarrelling  violently  again,  and  that  the  good- 
man  threw  in  her  teeth  that  he  now  knew  of  a  certainty  that 
she  had  a  familiar  spirit,  and  that  he  would  straightway  go  and 
tell  it  to  the  priest.  Albeit  this  is  only  a  child's  tale,  it  may 
be  true  for  all  that,  seeing  that  children  and  fools,  they  say, 
speak  the  truth. 

But  be  that  as  it  may.  Summa  :  my  old  warden  grew  worse 
and  worse ;  and  though  I  visited  him  every  morning  and  even- 
ing, as  I  use  to  do  to  my  sick,  in  order  to  pray  with  him,  and 
often  observed  that  he  had  somewhat  on  his  mind,  nevertheless 
he  could  not  disburthen  himself  of  it,  seeing  that  old  Lizzie 
never  left  her  post. 

This  went  on  for  a  while,  when  at  last  one  day  about  noon, 
he  sent  to  beg  me  to  scrape  a  little  silver  off  the  new  sacra- 
mental cup,  because  he  had  been  told  that  he  should  get  better 
if  he  took  it  mixed  with  the  dung  of  fowls.  For  some  time  I 
would  not  consent,  seeing  that  I  straightway  suspected  that 
there  was  some  devilish  mischief  behind  it ;  but  he  begged  and 
prayed,  till  I  did  as  he  would  have  rne. 

And  lo  and  behold,  he  mended  from  that  very  hour,  so  that 
when  I  went  to  pray  with  him  at  evening,  I  found  him  already 
sitting  on  the  bench  with  a  bowl  between  his  knees,  out  of  which 
he  was  supping  broth.  However,  he  would  not  pray  (which 
was  strange,  seeing  that  he  used  to  pray  so  gladly,  and  often 
could  not  wait  patiently  for  my  coming,  insomuch  that  he  sent 


CO  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xiv. 

after  me  two  or  three  times  if  I  was  not  at  hand,  or  elsewhere 
employed),  but  he  told  me  he  had  prayed  already,  and  that  he 
would  give  me  the  cock  whose  dung  he  had  taken,  for  my  trou- 
ble, as  it  was  a  fine  large  cock,  and  he  had  nothing  better  to 
offer  for  my  Sunday's  dinner.  And  as  the  poultry  was  by  this 
time  gone  to  roost  he  went  up  to  the  perch  which  was  behind 
the  stove,  and  reached  down  the  cock,  and  put  it  under  the  arm 
of  the  maid,  who  was  just  come  to  call  me  away. 

Not  for  all  the  world,  however,  would  I  have  eaten  the  cock, 
but  I  turned  it  out  to  breed.     I  went  to  him  once  more  and 
asked  whether  I  should  give   thanks  to  the  Lord  next  Sunday, 
for  his  recovery ;  whereupon  he  answered  that  I  might  do  as  I 
pleased  in  the  matter.     Hereat  I  shook  my  head,  and  left  the 
house,  resolving  to  send  for  him  as  soon  as  ever  I  should  hear 
that  his  old  Lizzie  was  from  home  (for  she  often  went  to  fetch 
flax  to  spin  from  the  Sheriff).     But  mark  what  befel  within  a 
few  days !     We  heard  an  outcry  that  old  Seden  was  missing, 
and  that  no  one  could  tell  what  had   become  of  him.     His  wife 
thought  he  had  gone  up  into  the  Streckelburg,  whereupon  the 
accursed  witch  ran  howling  to  our  house  and  asked  my  daugh- 
ter whether  she  had  not  seen  anything  of  her  goodman,  seeing 
that  she  went  up  the  mountain  every  day.     My  daughter  said 
she  had  not ;  but,  wo  is  me,  she  was  soon  to  hear  enough  of 
him.     For  one  morning,  before  sunrise,  as  she  came  down  into 
the  wood  on  her  way  back  from  her  forbidden  digging  after 
amber,  she  heard  a  woodpecker  (which,  no  doubt,  was  old  Liz- 
zie herself),  crying  so  dolefully,  close  beside  her,  that  she  went 
in  among  the  bushes  to  see  what  was  the  matter.     There  was 
the  woodpecker,  sitting  on  the  ground  before  a  bunch  of  hair, 
which  was  red,  and  just  like  what  old  Seden's  had  been,  and  as 
soon  as  it  espied  her  it  flew  up  with  its  beak  full  of  the  hair, 
and  slipped  into  a  hollow  tree.     While  my  daughter  still  stood 
looking  at  this  devil's  work,  up  came  old  Paasch,  who  also  had 
heard  the  cries  of  the  woodpecker,  as  he  was  cutting  roofing 
shingles  on  the  mountain,  with  his  boy,  and  was  likewise  struck 
with  horror  when  he  saw  the  hair  on  the  ground.     At  first  they 
thought  a  wolf  must  have  eaten  him,  and  searched  all  about, 
but  could  not  find  a  single  bone.     On  looking  up  they  fancied 


CHAP,  xiv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  61 

they  saw  something  red  at  the  very  top  of  the  tree,  so  they 
made  the  boy  climb  up,  and  he  forthwith  cried  out  that  here, 
too,  there  was  a  great  bunch  of  red  hair,  stuck  to  some  leaves 
as  if  with  pitch,  but  that  it  was  not  pitch,  but  something  speckled 
red  and  white,  like  fish-guts  ;  item,  that  the  leaves  all  around, 
even  where  there  was  no  hair,  were  stained  and  spotted,  and  had 
a  very  ill  smell.  Hereupon  the  lad,  at  his  master's  bidding, 
threw  down  the  clotted  branch,  and  they  two  below  straightway 
judged  that  this  was  the  hair  and  brains  of  old  Seden,  and  that 
the  devil  had  carried  him  off  bodily,  because  he  would  not  pray 
nor  giv^  thanks  to  the  Lord  for  his  recovery.  I  myself  believed 
the  same,  and  told  it  on  the  Sunday  as  a  warning  to  the  congre- 
gation. But  further  on  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Lord  had  yet 
greater  cause  for  giving  him  into  the  hands  of  Satan,  inasmuch 
as  he  had  been  talked  over  by  his  wicked  wife  to  renounce  his 
Maker,  in  the  hopes  of  getting  better.  Now,  however,  this 
devil's  whore  did  as  if  her  heart  was  broken,  tearing  out  her 
red  hair  by  whole  handsful  when  she  heard  about  the  wood- 
pecker from  my  child  and  old  Paasch,  and  bewailing  that  she 
was  now  a  poor  widow,  and  who  was  to  take  care  of  her  for  the 
future,  &c. 

Meanwhile  we  celebrated  on  this  barren  shore,  as  best  we 
could  and  might,  together  with  the  whole  Protestant  church,  the 
25th  day  mensis  Junii,  whereon,  one  hundred  years  ago,  the 
Estates  of  the  holy  Roman  empire  laid  their  confession  before 
the  most  high  and  mighty  emperor  Carolus  V.,  at  Augsburg; 
and  I  preached  a  sermon  on  Matt.  x.  32,  of  the  right  confession 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  whereupon  the  whole 
congregation  came  to  the  Sacrament.  Now  towards  the  even- 
ing of  the  self-same  day,  as  I  walked  with  my  daughter  by  the 
sea-shore,  we  saw  several  hundred  sail  of  ships,  both  great  and 
small,  round  about  Ruden,  and  plainly  heard  firing,  whereupon 
we  judged  forthwith  that  this  must  be  the  most  high  and  mighty 
king  Gustavus  Adolphus,  who  was  now  coming,  as  he  had 
promised,  to  the  aid  of  poor  persecuted  Christendom.  While 
we  were  still  debating  a  boat  sailed  towards  us  from  Oie,* 
wherein  was  Kate  Berow  her  son,  who  is  a  farmer  there,  and 

*  Ruden  and  Oie,  two  small  islands  between  Usedom  and  Rugen. 


02  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xiv. 

was  coming  to  see  his  old  mother.  The  same  told  us  that  it 
really  was  the  king,  who  had  this  morning  run  before  Ruden 
with  his  fleet  from  Rugen  ;  that  a  few  men  of  Oie  were  fishing 
there  at  the  time,  and  saw  how  he  went  ashore  with  his  officers, 
and  straightway  bared  his  head  and  fell  upon  his  knees.* 

Thus,  then,  most  gracious  God,  did  I  thy  unworthy  servant 
enjoy  a  still  greater  happiness  and  delight  that  blessed  evening 
than  I  had  done  on  the  blessed  morn ;  and  any  one  may  think 
that  I  delayed  not  for  a  moment  to  fall  on  my  knees  with  my 
child,  and  to  follow  the  example  of  the  king ;  and  God  knows  I 
never  in  my  life  prayed  so  fervently  as  that  evening,  whereon 
the  Lord  showed  such  a  wondrous  sign  upon  us  as  to  cause  the 
deliverer  of  his  poor  Christian  people  to  come  among  them  on  the 
very  day  when  they  had  everywhere  called  upon  him,  on  their 
knees,  for  his  gracious  help  against  the  murderous  wiles  of  the 
Pope  and  the  Devil.  That  night  I  could  not  sleep  for  joy,  but 
went  quite  early  in  the  morning  to  Damerow,  where  something 
had  befallen  Vithe  his  boy.  I  supposed  that  he,  too,  was 
bewitched ;  but  this  time  it  was  not  witchcraft,  seeing  that  the 
boy  had  eaten  something  unwholesome  in  the  forest.  He  could 
not  tell  what  kind  of  berries  they  were,  but  the  malum,  which 
turned  all  his  skin  bright  scarlet,  soon  passed  over.  As  I  there- 
fore was  returning  home  shortly  after,  I  met  a  messenger  from 
Peenemiinde,  whom  his  Majesty  the  high  and  mighty  king 
Gustavus  Adolphus  had  sent  to  tell  the  Sheriff  that  on  the  29th 
of  June,  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  he  was  to  send  three 
guides  to  meet  his  Majesty  at  Coserow,  and  to  guide  him  through 
the  woods  to  Swine,  where  the  Imperialists  were  encamped. 
Item,  he  related  how  his  Majesty  had  taken  the  fort  at  Peene- 
miinde yesterday  (doubtless  the  cause  of  the  firing  we  heard 
last  evening),  and  that  the  Imperialists  had  run  away  as  fast  as 
they  could,  and  played  the  bush-ranger  properly,  for  after 
setting  their  camp  on  fire  they  all  fled  into  the  woods  and  cop- 
pices, and  part  escaped  to  Wolgast  and  part  to  Swine. 

Straightway  I  resolved  in  my  joy  to  invent  a  carmen  gralula- 
torium  to  his  Majesty,  whom,  by  the  grace  of  Almighty  God,  1 
was  to  see,  the  which  my  little  daughter  might  present  to  him. 

*  See  also  the  "  Theatntm  Europeum,"  p.  226  fl. 


CHAP,  xiv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  63 

I  accordingly  proposed  it  to  her  as  soon  as  I  got  home,  and 
she  straightway  fell  on  my  neck  for  joy,  and  then  began  to  dance 
about  the  room.  But  when  she  had  considered  a  little,  she 
thought  her  clothes  were  not  good  enough  to  wear  before  his 
Majesty,  and  that  I  should  buy  her  a  blue  silk  gown,  with  a 
yellow  apron,  seeing  that  these  were  the  Swedish  colors,  and 
would  please  his  Majesty  right  well.  For  a  long  time  I  would 
not,  seeing  that  I  hate  this  kind  of  pride  ;  but  she  teased  me  with 
her  kisses  and  coaxing  words,  till  I,  like  an  old  fool,  said  yes, 
and  ordered  my  ploughman  to  drive  her  over  to  Wolgast  to-day 
to  buy  .the  stuff.  Wherefore  I  think  that  the  just  God,  who 
hateth  the  proud  and  showeth  mercy  on  the  humble,  did  rightly 
chastise  me  for  such  pride.  For  I  myself  felt  a  sinful  pleasure 
when  she  came  back  with  two  women  who  were  to  help  her  to 
sew,  and  laid  the  stuff  before  me.  Next  day  she  set  to  work  at 
sunrise  to  sew,  and  I  composed  my  carmen  the  while.  I  had 
not  got  very  far  in  it  when  the  young  Lord  Rudigerof  Nienker- 
ken  came  riding  up,  in  order,  as  he  said,  to  inquire  whether  his 
Majesty  were  indeed  going  to  march  through  Coserow.  And 
when  I  told  him  all  I  knew  of  the  matter,  item,  informed  him  of 
our  plan,  he  praised  it  exceedingly,  and  instructed  my  daughter 
(who  looked  more  kindly  upon  him  to-day  than  I  altogether 
liked)  how  the  Swedes  used  to  pronounce  the  Latin,  as  ratscho  pro 
ratio,  net  pro  ut,  schis  pro  scis,  &c.,  so  that  she  might  be  able  to 
answer  his  Majesty  with  all  due  readiness.  He  said,  moreover, 
that  he  had  held  much  converse  with  Swedes  at  Wittenberg?  as 
well  as  at  Griepswald,  wherefore  if  she  pleased  they  might  act 
a  short  colloquium,  wherein  he  would  play  the  king.  Hereupon 
he  sat  down  on  the  bench  before  her,  and  they  both  began 
chattering  together,  which  vexed  me  sore,  especially  when  I 
saw  that  she  made  but  small  haste  with  her  needle  the  while. 
But  say,  dear  reader,  what  was  I  to  do  ? — Wherefore  I  went  my 
ways,  and  let  them  chatter  till  near  noon,  when  the  young  lord 
at  last  took  leave.  But  he  promised  to  come  again  on  Tuesday 
when  the  king  was  here,  and  believed  that  the  whole  island 
would  flock  together  at  Coserow.  As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  see- 
ing that  my  vena  poetica  (as  may  be  easily  guessed)  was  still 
stopped  up,  I  had  the  horses  put  to  and  drove  all  over  the  parish, 


64  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xiv. 

exhorting  the  people  in  every  village  to  be  at  the  Giant's  Stone 
by  Coserow  at  nine  o'clock  on  Tuesday,  and  that  they  were  all 
to  fall  on  their  knees  as  soon  as  they  should  see  the  king  coming 
and  that  I  knelt  down ;  item,  to  join  at  once  in  singing  the  Am- 
brosian  hymn  of  praise,  which  I  should  lead  off  as  soon  as  the 
bells  began  to  ring.  This  they  all  promised  to  do  ;  and  after  I 
had  again  exhorted  them  to  it  on  Sunday  in  church,  and  prayed 
to  the  Lord  for  his  Majesty  out  of  the  fulness  of  my  heart,  we 
scarce  could  await  the  blessed  Tuesday  for  joyful  impatience. 


CHAP,  xv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  <;:, 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Of  the  arrival  of  the  high  and  mighty  King  Gustavus  Adolphus,  and  what 
befel  thereat. 

MEANWHILE  I  finished  my  carmen  in  metrum  elegiacum,  which 
my  daughter  transcribed  (seeing  that  her  handwriting  is  fairer 
than  mine)  and  diligently  learned,  so  that  she  might  say  it  to  his 
Majesty.  Item,  her  clothes  were  gotten  ready,  and  became 
her  purely ;  and  on  Monday  she  went  up  to  the  Streckelberg, 
although  the  heat  was  such  that  the  crows  gasped  on  the  hedges  : 
for  she  wanted  to  gather  flowers  for  a  garland  she  designed  to 
wear,  and  which  was  also  to  be  blue  and  yellow.  Towards 
evening  she  came  home  with  her  apron  filled  with  all  manner  of 
flowers ;  but  her  hair  was  quite  wet,  and  hung  all  matted  about 
her  shoulders.  (My  God,  my  God,  was  everything  to  come 
together  to  destroy  me,  wretched  man  that  I  am!)  I  asked, 
therefore,  where  she  had  been  that  her  hair  was  so  wet  and 
matted  ;  whereupon  she  answered  that  she  had  gathered  flowers 
round  the  Kolpin,*  and  from  thence  she  had  gone  down  to  the  sea- 
shore, where  she  had  bathed  in  the  sea,  seeing  that  it  was  very  hot 
and  no  one  could  see  her.  Thus,  said  she,  jesting,  she  should 
appear  before  his  Majesty  to-morrow  doubly  a  clean  maid. 
This  displeased  me  at  the  time,  and  I  looked  grave,  although  I 
said  naught. 

Next  morning  at  six  o'clock  all  the  people  were  already  at  the 
Giant's  Stone,  men,  women,  and  children.  Summa,  everybody 
that  was  able  to  walk  was  there.  At  eight  o'clock  my  daugh- 
ter was  already  dressed  in  all  her  bravery,  namely,  a  blue 
silken  gown,  with  a  yellow  apron  and  kerchief,  and  a  yellow 
hair-net,  with  a  garland  of  blue  and  yellow  flowers  round  her 
head.  It  -was  not  long  before  my  young  lord  arrived,  finely 

*  A  small  lake  near  the  sea. 
6' 


THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xv. 


dressed,  as  became  a  nobleman.  He  wanted  to  inquire,  as  he 
said,  by  which  road  I  should  go  -up  to  the  Stone  with  my  daugh- 
ter, seeing  that  his  father,  Hans  von  Nienkerken,  item,  Wittich 
Appelmann,  and  the  Lepels  of  Gnitze,  were  also  going,  and  that 
there  was  much  people  on  all  the  high  roads,  as  though  a  fair 
was  being  held.  But  I  straightway  perceived  that  all  he  wanted 
was  to  see  my  daughter,  inasmuch  as  he  presently  occupied 
himself  about  her,  and  began  chattering  with  her  in  the  Latin 
again.  He  made  her  repeat  to  him  the  carmen  to  his  Majesty  ; 
whereupon  he,  in  the  person  of  the  king,  answered  her : 
"  Dulcissima  et  venustissima  puella,  qua  mihi  in  coloribus  cceli, 
ut  angelus  Domini  appares,  utinam  semper  mecum  esses,  nun- 
quam  mihi  male  caderet  /"  whereupon  she  grew  red,  as  like- 
wise did  I,  but  from  vexation,  as  may  be  easily  guessed.  I 
therefore  begged  that  his  lordship  would  but  go  forward  to- 
ward the  Stone,  seeing  that  my  daughter  had  yet  to  help  me  on 
with  my  surplice  ;  whereupon,  however,  he  answered,  that  he 
would  wait  for  us  the  while  in  the  chamber,  and  that  we  might 
then  go  together.  Summa,  I  blessed  myself  from  this  young 
lord  ;  but  what  could  I  do  ?  As  he  would  not  go,  I  was  forced 
to  wink  at  it  all ;  and  before  long  we  went  up  to  the  Stone, 
where  I  straightway  chose  three  sturdy  fellows  from  the  crowd, 
and  sent  them  up  the  steeple  that  they  might  begin  to  ring  the 
bells  as  soon  as  they  should  see  me  get  up  upon  the  Stone  and 
wave  my  napkin.  This  they  promised  to  do,  and  straightway 
departed ;  whereupon  I  sat  down  on  the  Stone  with  my  daugh- 
ter, thinking  that  the  young  lord  would  surely  stand  apart,  as 
became  his  dignity ;  albeit  he  did  not,  but  sat  down  with  us  on 
the  Stone.  And  we  three  sat  there  all  alone,  and  all  the  folk 
looked  at  us,  but  none  drew  near  to  see  my  child's  fine  clothes, 
not  even  the  young  lasses,  as  is  their  wont  to  do ;  but  this  I  did 
not  observe  till  afterwards,  when  I  heard  how  matters  stood  with 
us  even  then.  Towards  nine  o'clock,  Hans  von  Nienkerken 
and  Wittich  Appelmann  galloped  up,  and  old  Nienkerken  called 
to  his  son  in  an  angry  voice ;  and  seeing  that  the  young  lord 
heard  him  not,  he  rode  up  to  the  Stone,  and  cried  out  so  loud 
that  all  the  folk  might  hear,  "Can'st  thou  not  hearken,  boy, 
when  thy  father  calls  thee !"  Whereupon  Riidiger  followed 


CHAP,  xv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  67 

him  in  much  displeasure,  and  we  saw  from  a  distance  how  the 
old  lord  seemed  to  threaten  his  son,  and  spat  out  before  him ; 
but  knew  not  what  this  might  signify  :  we  were  to  learn  it  soon 
enough,  though,  more's  the  pity !  Soon  after  the  two  Lepels  of 
Gnitze*  came  from  the  Damerow ;  and  the  nobleman  saluted 
one  other  to  the  green  sward  close  beside  us,  but  without  look- 
ing on  us.  And  I  heard  the  Lepels  say  that  naught  could  yet 
be  seen  of  his  Majesty,  but  that  the  coast-guard  fleet  around 
Ruden  was  in  motion,  and  that  several  hundred  ships  were  sail- 
ing this  way.  As  soon  as  this  news  was  known,  all  the  folk  ran 
to  the  sea-shore  (which  is  but  a  step  from  the  Stone) ;  and  the 
noblemen  rode  thither  too,  all  save  Wittich,  who  had  dismounted, 
and  who,  when  he  saw  that  I  sent  old  Pa^asch  his  boy  up  into  a 
tall  oak-tree  to  look  out  for  the  king,  straightway  busied  himself 
about  my  daughter  again,  who  now  sat  all  alone  upon  the  Stone  : 
"  Why  had  she  not  taken  his  huntsman  ?  and  whether  she 
would  not  change  her  mind  on  the  matter  and  have  him  now,  or 
else  come  into  service  with  him  (the  Sheriff)  himself?  for  that 
if  she  would  not,  he  believed  she  might  be  sorry  for  it  one  day." 
Whereupon  she  answered  him  (as  she  told  me),  that .  there  was 
but  one  thing  she  was  sorry  for,  namely,  that  his  lordship  would 
take  so  much  useless  pains  upon  her ;  whereupon  she  rose  with 
all  haste  and  came  to  where  I  stood  under  the  tree,  looking  after 
the  lad  who  was  climbing  up  it.  But  our  old  Use  said  that  he 
swore  a  great  curse  when  my  daughter  turned  her  back  upon 
him,  and  went  straightway  into  the  alder-grove  close  by  the 
high  road,  where  stood  the  old  witch  Lizzie  Kolken. 

Meanwhile  I  went  with  my  daughter  to  the  sea-shore  and 
found  it  quite  true  that  the  whole  fleet  was  sailing  over  from 
Ruden  and  Oie  towards  Wollin,  and  several  ships  passed  so 
close  before  us  that  we  could  see  the  soldiers  standing  upon  them 
and  the  flashing  of  their  arms.  Item,  we  heard  the  horses  neigh 
and  the  soldiery  laugh.  On  one  ship,  too,  they  were  drumming, 
and  on  another  cattle  lowed  and  sheep  bleated.  Whilst  we  yet 
gazed  we  saw  smoke  come  out  from  one  of  the  ships,  followed 
by  a  great  noise,  and  presently  we  were  aware  of  the  ball  bound- 

*  A  peninsula  in  Usedom. 


68  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xv. 

ing  over  the  water,  which  foamed  and  splashed  on  either  side, 
and  coming  straight  towards  us.  Hereupon  the  crowd  ran  awav 
on  every  side  with  loud  cries,  and  we  plainly  heard  the  soldiery 
in  the  ships  laugh  thereat.  But  the  ball  flew  up  and  struck  into 
the  midst  of  an  oak  hard  by  Paasch  his  boy,  so  that  nearly  two 
cart-loads  of  boughs  fell  to  the  earth  with  a  great  crash,  and 
covered  all  the  road  by  which  his  Majesty  was  to  come.  Here- 
upon the  boy  would  stop  no  longer  in  the  tree,  however  much  I 
exhorted  him  thereto,  but  cried  out  to  us  as  he  came  down  that  a 
great  troop  of  soldiers  was  marching  out  of  the  forest  by 
Damerow,  and  that  likely  enough  the  king  was  among  them. 
Hereupon  the  Sheriff  ordered  the  road  to  be  cleared  forthwith, 
and  this  was  some  time  a-doing,  seeing  that  the  thick  boughs 
were  stuck  fast  in  the  trees  all  around ;  the  nobles,  as  soon  as 
all  was  made  ready,  would  have  ridden  to  meet  his  Majesty,  but 
stayed  still  on  the  little  greensward,  because  we  already  heard 
the  noise  of  horses,  carriages,  and  voices  close  to  us  in  the 
forest. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  cannons  broke  through  the  brush- 
wood with  the  three  guides  seated  upon  them.  And  seeing  that 
one  of  them  was  known  to  me  (it  was  Stoffer  Krauthahn,  of 
Peenemiinde),  I  drew  near  and  begged  him  that  he  would  tell 
me  when  the  king  should  come.  But  he  answered  that  he  was 
going  forward  with  the  cannon  to  Coserow,  and  that  I  was  only 
to  watch  for  a  tall  dark  man,  with  a  hat  and  feather  and  a  gold 
chain  round  his  neck,  for  that  that  was  the  king,  and  that  he  rode 
next  after  the  great  standard  whereon  was  a  yellow  lion. 

Wherefore  I  narrowly  watched  the  procession  as  it  wound  out 
of  the  forest.  And  next  after  the  artillery  came  the  Finnish  and 
Lapland  bowmen,  who  went  clothed  all  in  furs,  although  it  was 
now  the  height  of  summer,  whereat  I  greatly  wondered.  After 
these  there  came  much  people,  but  I  know  not  what  they  were. 
Presently  I  espied  over  the  hazel-tree  which  stood  in  my  way  so 
that  I  could  not  see  everything  as  soon  as  it  came  forth  out  of 
the  coppice,  the  great  flag  with  the  lion  on  it,  and,  behind  that, 
the  head  of  a  very  dark  man  with  a  golden  chain  round  his  neck, 
whereupon  straightway  I  judged  this  must  be  the  king.  I  there- 
fore waved  my  napkin  toward  the  steeple,  whereupon  the  bells 


CHAP,  xv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  69 

forthwith  rang  out,  and  while  the  dark  man  rode  nearer  to  us, 
I  pulled  off  my  scull-cap,  fell  upon  my  knees,  and  led  the  Am- 
brosian  hymn  of  praise,  and  all  the  people  plucked  their  hats 
from  their  heads  and  knelt  down  on  the  ground  all  around  sing- 
ing after  me ;  men,  women,  and  children,  save  only  the  nobles, 
who  stood  still  on  the  greensward,  and  did  not  take  off  their 
hats  and  behave  with  attention  until  they  saw  that  his  Majesty 
drew  in  his  horse.  (It  was  a  coal-black  charger,  and  stopped 
with  its  two  fore-feet  right  upon  my  field,  which  I  took  as  a  sign 
of  good  fortune.)  When  we  had  finished,  the  Sheriff  quickly  got 
off  his  horse  and  would  have  approached  the  king  with  his  three 
guides  who  followed  after  him ;  item,  I  had  taken  my  child  by 
the  hand  and  would  also  have  drawn  near  to  the  king.  Howbeit, 
his  Majesty  motioned  away  the  Sheriff  and  beckoned  us  to  ap- 
proach, whereupon  I  wished  his  Majesty  joy  in  the  Latin  tongue, 
and  extolled  his  magnanimous  heart,  seeing  that  he  had  deigned 
to  visit  German  ground  for  the  protection  and  aid  of  poor  per- 
secuted Christendom ;  and  praised  it  as  a  sign  from  God  that  such 
had  happened  on  this  the  highest  festival  of  our  poor  church, 
and  I  prayed  his  Majesty  graciously  to  receive  what  my  daughter 
desired  to  present  to  him ;  whereupon  his  Majesty  looked  on  her 
and  smiled  pleasantly.  Such  gracious  bearing  made  her  bold 
again,  albeit  she  trembled  visibly  just  before,  and  she  reached 
him  a  blue  and  yellow  wreath  whereon  lay  the  carmen,  saying, 
Accipe  Jianc  mlem  coronam  et  hcec,  whereupon  she  began  to 
recite  the  carmen.  Meanwhile  his  Majesty  grew  more  and  more 
gracious,  looking  now  on  her  and  now  on  the  carmen,  and  nodded 
with  especial  kindness  towards  the  end,  which  was  as  follows  : — 

"  Tempus  erit,  quo  tu  reversus  ab  hostibus  ultor 

Intrabis  patriee  libera  regna  meae ; 
Tune  meliora  student  nostras  tibi  carmina  musae, 

Tune  tua,  maxime  rex,  Martia  facta  canam. 
Tu  modo  versiculis  ne  spernas  vilibus  ausum 

Auguror  et  res  est  ista  futura  brevi ! 
Sis  fcelix,  fortisque  diu,  vive  optime  princeps, 

Ginnia,  et  ut  possis  vincere,  dura.     Vale  !"* 

*Thou  shalt  return  chastiser  of  the  foe, 
To  the  freed  kingdoms  of  my  native  land ! 


70  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xv. 

As  soon  as  she  held  her  peace,  his  Majesty  said  :  Propius  acce- 
das,  patria  virgo,  ut  te  osculer  ;  whereupon  she  drew  near  to  his 
horse  blushing  deeply.  I  thought  he  would  only  have  kissed 
her  forehead,  as  potentates  commonly  used  to  do,  but  not  at 
all  !  he  kissed  her  lips  with  a  loud  smack,  and  the  long  feathers 
on  his  hat  drooped  over  her  neck,  so  that  I  was  quite  afraid  for 
her  again.  But  he  soon  raised  up  his  head,  and  taking  off  his 
gold  chain,  whereon  dangled  his  own  effigy,  he  hung  it  round 
my  child's  neck  with  these  words  :  Hocce  tuce  pulchritudini !  ct 
sifavente  Deo  reduxfuero  victor,  promissum  carmen  et  prater ea 
duo  oscula  exspecto. 

Hereupon  the  Sheriff,  with  his  three  men,  again  came  for- 
ward and  bowed  down  to  the  ground  before  his  Majesty.  But 
as  he  knew  no  Latin,  item,  no  Italian  nor  French,  I  had  to  act  as 
interpreter.  For  his  Majesty  inquired  how  far  it  was  to  Swine, 
and  whether  there  was  still  much  foreign  soldiery  there  ?  And 
the  Sheriff  thought  there  were  still  about  200  Croats  in  the  camp. 
Whereupon  his  Majesty  spurred  on  his  horse,  and,  nodding  gra- 
ciously, cried  "  Valete  /"  and  now  came  the  rest  of  the  troops, 
about  3000  strong,  out  of  the  coppice,  which  likewise  had  a 
valiant  bearing,  and  attempted  no  fooleries,  as  troops  are  wont 
to  do,  when  they  passed  by  us  and  the  women,  but  marched  ou 
in  honest  quietness,  and  we  followed  the  train  until  the  forest 
beyond  Coserow,  where  we  commended  it  to  the  care  of  tin- 
Almighty,  and  every  one  went  on  his  way  home. 

Then  shall  our  song  with  loftier  cadence  flow, 

Boasting  the  deeds  of  thy  heroic  hand  ! 

Scorn  not,  meanwhile,  the  feeble  lines  which  thus 

Thy  future  glory  and  success  foretell, 

Live,  prince  beloved  !  be  brave,  be  prosperous ; 

Conquer,  howe'er  opposed, — and  fare  thee  well  ! 


CHAP.  XVL]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  71 


CHAPTER  XVL 

How  little  Mary  Paasch  was  sorely  plagued  of  the  devil,  and  the  whole 
parish  fell  off  from  me. 

BEFORE  I  proceed  any  further,  I  will  first  mark  that  the  illus- 
trious king  Gustavus  Adolphus,  as  we  presently  heard,  had  cut 
down  the  300  Croats  at  Swine,  and  was  thence  gone  by  sea  to 
Stettin.  May  God  be  for  ever  gracious  to  him !  Amen. 

But  my  sorrows  increased  from  day  to  day,  seeing  that  the 
devil  now  played  pranks  such  as  he  never  had  played  before. 
I  had  begun  to  think  that  the  ears  of  God  had  hearkened  to  our 
ardent  prayers,  but  it  pleased  him  to  try  us  yet  more  hardly  than 
ever.  For.  a  few  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  most  illustrious 
king  Gustavus  Adolphus,  it  was  bruited  about  that  my  child  her 
little  god-daughter  was  possessed  of  the  Evil  One,  and  tumbled 
about  most  piteously  on  her  bed,  insomuch  that  no  one  was  able 
to  hold  her.  My  child  straightway  went  to  see  her  little  god- 
daughter, but  presently  came  weeping  home.  Old  Paasch  would 
not  suffer  her  even  to  come  near  her,  but  railed  at  her  very 
angrily,  and  said  that  she  should  never  come  within  his  doors 
again,  as  his  child  had  got  the  mischief  from  the  white  roll  which 
she  had  given  her  that  morning.  It  was  true  that  my  child  had 
given  her  a  roll,  seeing  that  the  maid  had  been,  the  day  before, 
to  Wolgast,  and  had.  brought  back  a  napkin  full  of  them. 

Such  news  vexed  me  sore,  and  after  putting  on  my  cassock  I 
went  to  old  Paasch  his  house,  to  exorcise  the  foul  fiend,  and  to 
remove  such  disgrace  from  my  child.  I  found  the  old  man 
standing  on  the  floor  by  the  cockloft  steps,  weeping  ;  and  after 
I  had  spoken  "The  peace  of  God,"  I  asked  him  first  of  all, 
whether  he  really  believed  that  his  little  Mary  had  been  be- 
witched by  means  of  the  roll  which  my  child  had  given  her  ? 
He  said  "  Yes !"  And  when  I  answered,  that  in  that  case,  I 


THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvi. 

also  must  have  been  bewitched,  item,  Pagel  his  little  girl,  seeing 
that  we  both  had  eaten  of  the  rolls,  he  was  silent,  and  asked  me 
with  a  sigh,  whether  I  would  not  go  into  the  room,  and  see  for 
myself  how  matters  stood.  I  then  entered  with  "  The  peace  of 
Hod,"  and  found  six  people  standing  round  little  Mary  her  bed  ; 
her  eyes  were  shut,  and  she  was  as  stiff  as  a  board  ;  wherefore 
Kit  Wels  (who  was  a  young  and  sturdy  fellow)  seized  the  little 
child  by  one  leg,  and  held  her  out  like  a  hedge-stake,  so  that  I 
might  see  how  the  devil  plagued  her.  I  now  said  a  prayer, 
and  Satan,  perceiving  that  a  servant  of  Christ  was  come,  began 
to  tear  the  child  so  fearfully  that  it  was  pitiful  to  behold  ; 
(or  she  flung  about  her  hands  and  feet  so  that  four  strong 
men  were  scarce  able  to  hold  her ;  item,  she  was  afflicted 
with  extraordinary  risings  and  fallings  of  her  belly,  as  if  a 
living  creature  was  therein,  so  that  at  last  the  old  witch  Lizzie 
Kolken  sat  herself  upon  her  belly,  whereupon  the  child  seemed 
to  be  somewhat  better,  and  I  told  her  to  repeat  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  so  as  to  see  whether  it  really  were  the  devil  who  pos- 
sessed her.*  She  straightway  grew  worse  than  before,  and 
began  to  gnash  her  teeth,  to  roll  her  eyes,  and  to  strike  so 
hard  with  her  hands  and  feet  that  she  flung  her  father,  who 
held  one  of  her  legs,  right  into  the  middle  of  the  room,  and 
then  struck  her  foot  -so  hard  against  the  bedstead  that  the 
blood  flowed,  and  Lizzie  Kolken  was  thrown  about  on  her 
belly  as  though  she  had  been  in  a  swing.  And  as  I  ceased 
not,  but  exorcised  Satan  that  he  should  leave  her,  she  began 
to  howl  and  to  bark  like  a  dog,  item,  to  laugh,  and  spoke  at 
last,  with  a  grutf  bass  voice  like  an  old  man's,  "  I  will  not 
depart."  But  he  should  soon  have  been  forced  to  depart 
out  of  her,  had  not  both  father  and  mother  besought  me  by 
(Jod's  holy  Sacrament  to  leave  their  poor  child  in  peace, 
seeing  that  nothing  did  her  any  good,  but  rather  made  her 
worse.  I  was  therefore  forced  to  desist,  and  only  admonished 

*  It  was  imagined  in  those  fearful  times  that  when  the  sick  person  could 
repeat  the  three  articles  of  belief,  and  especially  some  passages  from  the 
Bible  bearing  particular  reference  to  the  work  of  redemption,  he  was  not 
possessed,  since  "  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."— I  Cor.  xii.  3. 


CHAP,  xvi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  73 

the  parents  to  seek  for  help  like  the  Canaanitish  woman,  in 
true  repentance  and  incessant  prayer,  and  with  her  to  sigh 
in  constant  faith,  "  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  Lord,  thou  son 
of  David,  my  daughter  is  grievously  vexed  of  a  devil," 
Matthew  xv.  ;  that  the  heart  of  our  Lord  would  then  melt, 
so  that  he  would  have  mercy  on  their  child,  and  command 
Satan  to  depart  from  her.  Item,  I  promised  to  pray  for  the 
little  child  on  the  following  Sunday,  with  the  whole  congre- 
gation, and  told  them  to  bring  her,  if  it  were  any  ways  pos- 
sible, to  the  church,  seeing  that  the  ardent  prayer  of  the 
whole  congregation  has  power  to  rise  beyond  the  clouds. 
This  they  promised  to  do,  and  I  then  went  home  sorely 
troubled,  where  I  soon  learned  that  she  was  somewhat  bet- 
ter ;  thus  it  still  is  sure  that  Satan  hates  nothing  so  much, 
after  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  the  servant  of  the  Gospel.  But 
wait,  and  I  shall  even  yet  "  bruise  thy  head  with  my  heel  " 
(Genesis,  chap,  iii.)  ;  naught  shall  avail  thee. 

Howbeit,  before  the  blessed  Sunday  came,  I  perceived  that 
many  of  my  people  went  out  of  my  way,  both  in  the  village 
and  elsewhere  in  the  parish,  where  I  went  to  visit  sundry 
sick  folks.  When  I  went  to  Uekeritze  to  see  young  Tittel- 
witz,  there  even  befel  me  as  follows.  Glaus  Pieper  the  pea- 
sant stood  in  his  yard  chopping  wood,  and  on  seeing  me, 
he  flung  the  axe  out  of  his  hand  so  hastily  that  it  stuck 
in  the  ground,  and  he  ran  towards  the  pig-stye,  making  the 
sign  of  the  cross.  I  motioned  him  to  stop,  and  asked  why 
he  thus  ran  from  me,  his  confessor  ?  Whether,  peradven- 
ture,  he  also  believed  that  my  daughter  had  bewitched  her 
little  godchild  ?  "  Ille.  Yes,  he  believed  it,  because  the  whole 
parish  did.  Ego.  Why,  then,  had  she  been  so  kind  to  her 
formerly,  and  kept  her  like  a  sister,  through  the  worst  of  the 
famine  1  Ille.  This  was  not  the  only  mischief  she  had  done. 
Ego.  What,  then,  had  she  done  besides  ?  Ille.  That  was  all 
one  to  me.  Ego.  He  should  tell  me,  or  I  would  complain  to 
the  magistrate.  Ille.  That  I  might  do,  if  I  pleased."  Where- 
upon he  went  his  way,  insolently.  Any  one  may  guess  that  I 
was  not  slow  to  inquire  everywhere,  what  people  thought  my 
daughter  had  done ;  but  no  one  would  tell  me  anything,  and  I 


7 1  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvi. 

might  have  grieved  to  death  at  such  evil  reports.     Moreover, 
not  one  child  came  during  this  whole  week  to  school  to  my 
daughter  ;  and  when  I  sent  out  the  maid  to  ask  the  reason,  she 
brought  back  word  that  the  children  were  ill,  or  that  the  pa- 
rents wanted  them  for  their  work.     I  thought  and  thought,  but 
all  to  no  purpose,  until  the  blessed  Sunday  came  round,  when 
I  meant  to  have  held  a  great  Sacrament,  seeing  that  many  peo- 
ple had  made  known  their  intention  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table. 
It  seemed  strange  to  me  that  I  saw  no  one  standing,  as  was 
their  wont,  about  the  church  door ;  I  thought,  however,  that 
they  might  have  gone  into  the  house.     But  when  I  went  into 
the  church  with  my  daughter,  there  were  not  more  than  six 
people  assembled,  among  whom  was  old  Lizzie  Kolken  ;  and 
the  accursed  witch  no  sooner  saw  my  daughter  follow  me,  than 
she  made  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  ran  out  of  the  door  under 
the  steeple ;  whereupon  the  five  others,  among  them  mine  own 
churchwarden  Glaus  Bulken  (I  had  not  appointed  any  one  in 
the  room  of  old  Seden),  followed  her.     I  was  so  horror-struck 
that  my  blood  curdled,  and  I   began  to  tremble,  so  that  I   fell 
with  my  shoulder  against  the  confessional.     My  child,  to  whom 
I  had  as  yet  told  nothing,  in  order  to  spare  her,  then  asked  me, 
"  Father,  what  is  the  matter  with  all  the  people ;  are  they,  too, 
bewitched  ?"     Whereupon  I  came  to  myself  again,  and  went 
into  the  churchyard  to  look  after  them.     But  all  were  gone 
save  my  churchwarden   Glaus  Bulken,   who  stood   under  the 
lime-tree,  whistling  to  himself.     I  stepped  up  to  him,  and  asked 
what  had  come  to  the  people  ?  whereupon  he  answered,  he- 
could  not  tell ;  and  when  I   asked  him  again,  why,  then,  he 
himself  had  left  the  church,  he  said,  What  was  he  to  do  there 
alone,  seeing  that  no  collection  could  be  made  ?     I  then  im- 
plored him  to  tell  me  the  truth,  and  what  horrid  suspicion  had 
arisen  against  me  in  the  parish  ?     But  he  answered,  I  should 
very  soon  find  it  out  for  myself;  and  he  jumped  over  the  wall 
and  went  into  old  Lizzie  her  house,  which  stands  close  by  the 
churchyard. 

My  child  had  made  ready  some  veal  broth  for  dinner,  for 
which  I  mostly  use  to  leave  everything  else  ;  but  I  could  not 
swallow  one  spoonful,  but  sat  resting  my  head  on  my  hand,  and 


CHAP,  xvi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  75 

doubted  whether  I  should  tell  her  or  no.  Meanwhile  the  old 
maid  came  in,  ready  for  a  journey,  and  with  a  bundle  in  her 
hand,  and  begged  me  with  tears  to  give  her  leave  to  go.  My 
poor  child  turned  pale  as  a  corpse,  and  asked  in  amaze  what 
had  come  to  her  ?  but  she  merely  answered,  "  Nothing !"  and 
wiped  her  eyes  with  her  apron.  When  I  recovered  my  speech, 
which  had  wellnigh  left  me  at  seeing  that  this  faithful  old  crea- 
ture was  also  about  to  forsake  me,  I  began  to  question  her  why 
she  wished  to  go  ;  she  who  dwelt  with  me  so  long,  and  who 
would  not  forsake  us  even  in  the  great  famine,  but  had  faithfully 
borne  up  against  it,  and  indeed  had  humbled  me  by  her  faith, 
and  had  exhorted  me  to  stand  out  gallantly  to  the  last,  for  which 
I  should  be  grateful  to  her  as  long  as  I  lived.  Hereupon  she 
merely  wept  and  sobbed  yet  more,  and  at  length  brought  out 
that  she  still  had  an  old  mother  of  eighty,  living  in  Liepe,  and 
that  she  wished  to  go  and  nurse  her  till  her  end.  Hereupon 
my  daughter  jumped  up,  and  answered  with  tears,  "  Alas,  old 
Use,  why  wilt  thou  leave  us,  for  thy  mother  is  with  thy  brother  ? 
Do  but  tell  me  why  thou  wilt  forsake  me,  and  what  harm  have 
I  done  thee,  that  I  may  make  it  good  to  thee  again."  But  she 
hid  her  face  in  her  apron,  and  sobbed,  and  could  not  get  out  a 
single  word ;  whereupon  my  child  drew  away  the  apron  from 
her  face,  and  would  have  stroked  her  cheek,  to  make  her 
speak.  But  when  Use  saw  this  she  struck  my  poor  child's 
hand,  and  cried  "  Ugh !"  spat  out  before  her,  and  straightway 
went  out  at  the  door.  Such  a  thing  she  had  never  done  even 
when  my  child  was  a  little  girl,  and  we  were  both  so  shocked 
that  we  could  neither  of  us  say  a  word. 

Before  long  my  poor  child  gave  a  loud  cry,  and  cast  herself 
upon  the  bench,  weeping  and  wailing,  "  What  has  happened, 
what  has  happened  ?"  I  therefore  thought  I  ought  to  tell  her 
what  I  had  heard,  namely,  that  she  was  looked  upon  as  a  witch. 
Whereat  she  began  to  smile  instead  of  weeping  any  more,  and 
ran  out  of  the  door  to  overtake  the  maid,  who  had  already  left 
the  house,  as  we  had  seen.  She  returned  after  an  hour  crying 
out  that  all  the  people  in  the  village  had  run  away  from  her, 
when  she  would  have  asked  them  whither  the  maid  was  gone. 
Item,  the  little  children,  for  whom  she  had  kept  school,  had 


76  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xvi 

screamed,  and  had  hidden  themselves  from  her :  also  no  one 
would  answer  her  a  single  word,  but  all  spat  out  before  her,  as 
the  maid  had  done.  On  her  way  home  she  had  seen  a  boat  on 
the  water,  and  had  run  as  fast  as  she  could  to  the  shore,  and 
called  with  might  and  main  after  old  Use,  who  was  in  the  boat. 
But  she  had  taken  no  notice  of  her,  not  even  once  to  look  round 
after  her,  but  had  motioned  her  to  be  gone.  And  now  she  went 
on  to  weep  and  to  sob  the  whole  day  and  the  whole  night,  so  that 
I  was  more  miserable  than  even  in  the  time  of  the  great  famine. 
But  the  worst  was  yet  to  come,  as  will  be  shown  in  the  following 
chapter. 


CHAP,  xvn.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  77 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

How  my  poor  child  was  taken  up  for  a  witch,  and  carried  to  Pudgla. 

THE  next  day,  Monday,  the  12th  July,  at  about  eight  in  the 
morning,  while  we  sat  in  our  grief,  wondering  who  could  have 
prepared  such  great  sorrow  for  us,  and  speedily  agreed  that  it 
could  be  none  other  than  the  accursed  witch  Lizzie  Kolken,  a 
coach  with  four  horses  drove  quickly  up  to  the  door,  wherein  sat 
six  fellows,  who  straightway  all  jumped  out.  Two  went  and 
stood  at  the  front,  two  at  the  back  door,  and  two  more,  one  of 
whom  was  the  constable  Jacob  Knake,  came  into  the  room,  and 
handed  me  a  warrant  from  the  Sheriff  for  the  arrest  of  my 
daughter,  as  in  common  repute  of  being  a  wicked  witch,  and 
for  her  examination  before  the  criminal  court.  Any  one  may 
guess  how  my  heart  sunk  within  me  when  I  read  this.  I  dropped 
to  the  earth  like  a  felled  tree,  and  when  I  came  to  myself  my 
child  had  thrown  herself  upon  me  with  loud  cries,  and  her  hot 
tears  ran  down  over  my  face.  When  she  saw  that  I  came  to 
myself,  she  began  to  praise  God  therefore  with  a  loud  voice,  and 
essayed  to  comfort  me,  saying  that  she  was  innocent,  and  should 
appear  with  a  clean  conscience  before  her  judges.  Item,  she 
repeated  to  me  the  beautiful  text  from  Matthew,  chapter  v. : — 
"  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you, 
and  shall  say  a,ll  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely  for  my 
sake." 

And  she  begged  me  to  rise  and  to  throw  my  cassock  over  my 
doublet,  and  go  with  her,  for  that  without  me  she  would  not 
suffer  herself  to  be  carried  before  the  Sheriff.  Meanwhile,  how- 
ever, all  the  village,  men,  women,  and  children,  had  thronged 
together  before  my  door ;  but  they  remained  quiet,  and  only 
peeped  in  at  the  windows  as  though  they  would  have  looked  right 
through  the  house.  When  we  had  both  made  us  ready,  and  the 


78  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvn. 

constable,  who  at  first  would  not  take  me  with  them,  had  thought 
better  of  it,  by  reason  of  a  good  fee  which  my  daughter  gave 
him,  we  walked  to  the  coach  ;  but  I  was  so  helpless  that  I  could 
not  get  up  into  it. 

Old  Paasch,  when  he  saw  this,  came  and  helped  me  up  into 
the  coach,  saying,  "  God  comfort  ye  !  Alas,  that  you  should 
ever  see  your  child  come  to  this !"  and  he  kissed  my  hand  to 
take  leave. 

A  few  others  came  up  to  the  coach,  and  would  have  done  like- 
wise ;  but  I  besought  them  not  to  make  my  heart  still  heavier, 
and  to  take  Christian  charge  of  my  house  and  my  affairs  until  I 
.should  return.  Also  to  pray  diligently  for  me  and  my  daughter, 
so  that  the  Evil  One,  who  had  long  gone  about  our  village  like 
a  roaring  lion,  and  who  now  threatened  to  devour  me,  might  not 
prevail  against  us,  but  might  be  forced  to  depart  from  me  and 
from  my  child  as  from  our  guileless  Saviour  in  the  wilderness. 
But  to  this  none  answered  a  word  ;  and  I  heard  right  well,  as 
we  drove  away,  that  many  spat  out  after  us,  and  one  said  (my 
child  thought  it  was  Berow  her  voice),  "  We  would  far  sooner 
lay  fire  under  thy  coats  than  pray  for  thee."  We  were  still 
sighing  over  such  words  as  these,  when  we  came  near  to  the 
churchyard,  and  there  sat  the  accursed  witch  Lizzie  Kolken  at  the 
door  of  her  house  with  her  hymn-book  in  her  lap,  screeching  out 
at  the  top  of  her  voice,  "  God  the  Father,  dwell  with  us,"  as  we 
drove  past  her :  the  which  vexed  my  poor  child  so  sore  that  she 
swounded,  and  fell  like  one  dead  upon  me.  I  begged  the  dri- 
ver to  stop,  and  called  to  old  Lizzie  to  bring  us  a  pitcher  of 
water ;  but  she  did  as  though  she  had  not  heard  me,  and  went 
on  to  sing  so  that  it  rang  again.  Whereupon  the  constable 
jumped  down,  and  at  my  request  ran  back  to  my  house  to  fetch 
a  pitcher  of  water ;  and  he  presently  came  back  with  it,  and  the 
people  after  him,  who  began  to  say  aloud  that  my  child's  bad 
conscience  had  stricken  her,  and  that  she  had  now  betrayed  her- 
self. Wherefore  I  thanked  God  when  she  came  to  life  again, 
and  we  could  leave  the  village.  But  at  Uekeritze  it  was  just 
the  same,  for  all  the  people  had  flocked  together,  and  were  stand- 
ing on  the  green  before  Labahn  his  house  when  we  went  by. 

Nevertheless,  they  were  quiet  enough  as  we  drove  past,  albeit 


CHAP,  xvii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  79 

some  few  cried,  "  How  can  it  be,  how  can  it  be  !"     1  heard  no- 
thing else.     But  in  the  forest  near  the  watermill  the  miller  and 
all  his  men  ran  out  and  shouted,  laughing,  "  Look  at  the  witch, 
look  at  the  witch  !"     Whereupon  one  of  the  men  struck  at  my 
poor  child  with  the  sack  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  so  that  she 
turned  quite  white,  and  the  flour  flew  all  about  the  coach  like  a 
cloud.      When  I  rebuked  him,  the  wicked  rogue  laughed  and 
said,  that  if  no  other  smoke  than  that  ever  came  under  her  nose, 
so  much  the  better  for  her.     Item,  it  was  worse  in  Pudgla  than 
even  at  the  mill.     The  people  stood  so  thick  on  the  hill,  before 
the  castle,  that  we  could  scarce  force  our  way  through,  and  the 
Sheriff  caused  the  death-bell  in  the  castle-tower  to  toll  as  an 
avisum.     Whereupon  more  and  more  people  came  running  out 
of  the  ale-houses  and  cottages.     Some  cried  out,  "  Is  that  the 
witch  ?"     Others,  again,  "  Look  at  the  parson's  witch  !  the  par- 
son's witch !"  and  much  more,  which  for  very  shame  I  may  not 
write.     They  scraped  up  the  mud  out  of  the  gutter  which  ran 
from  the  castle-kitchen  and  threw  it  upon  us ;  item,  a  great  stone, 
the  which  struck  one  of  the  horses  so  that  it  shyed,  and  belike 
would  have  upset  the  coach  had  not  the  man  sprung  forward  and 
held  it  in.     All  this  happened  before  the  castle-gates,  where  the 
Sheriff  stood  smiling  and  looking  on,  with  a  heron's  feather  stuck 
in  his  grey  hat.     But  so  soon  as  the  horse  was  quiet  again  he 
came  to  the  coach  and  mocked  at  my  child,  saying,  "  See,  young 
maid,  thou  wouldst  not  come  to  me,  and  here  thou  art  neverthe- 
less !"     Whereupon  she  answered,  "  Yea,  I  come  ;  and  may  you 
one  day  come  before  your  judge  as  I  come  before  you  ;"  where- 
unto  I  said,  Amen,  and  asked  him  how  his  lordship  could  answer 
before  God  and  man  for  what  he  had  done  to  a  wretched  man 
like  myself  and  to  my  child  ?     But  he  answered,  saying,  Why 
had  I  come  with  her  ?     And  when  I  told  him  of  the  rude  people 
here,  item,  of  the  churlish  miller's  man,  he  said  that  it  was  not 
his  fault,  and  threatened  the  people  all  around  with  his  fist,  for 
they  were  making  a  great  noise.     Thereupon  he  commanded 
my  child  to  get  down  and  to  follow  him,  and  went  before  her 
into  the  castle ;  motioned  the  constable,  who  would  have  gone 
with  them,  to  stay  at  the  foot  of  the  steps,  and  began  to  mount 
the  winding  staircase  to  the  upper  rooms  alone  with  my  child. 


THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvn. 

But  she  whispered  me  privately,  "Do  not  leave  me,  father;" 
and  I  presently  followed  softly  after  them.     Hearing  by  their 
voices  in  which  chamber  they  were,  I  laid  my  ear  against  the 
door  to  listen.     And  the  villain  offered  to  her  that  if  she  would 
love  him  naught  should  harm  her,  saying  he  had  power  to  save 
her  from  the  people ;  but  that  if  she  would  not,  she  should  go 
before  the  court  next  day,  and  she  might  guess  herself  how  it 
would  fare  with  her,  seeing  that  he  had  many  witnesses  to  prove 
that  she  had  played  the  wanton  with  Satan,  and  had  suffered 
him  to  kiss  her.     Hereupon  she  was  silent,  and  only  sobbed, 
which  the  arch-rogue  took  as  a  good  sign,  and  went  on :    "  If 
you  have  had  Satan  himself  for  a  sweetheart,  you  surely  may 
love  me."     And  he  went  to  her  and  would  have  taken  her  in 
his  arms,  as  I  perceived  ;  for  she  gave  a  loud  scream,  and  flew 
to  the  door ;  but  he  held  her  fast,  and  begged  and  threatened  as 
the  devil  prompted  him.     I  was  about  to  go  in  when  I  heard  her 
strike  him  in  the  face,  saying,  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan,"  so 
that  he  let  her  go.     Whereupon  she  ran  out  at  the  door  so  sud- 
denly that  she  threw  me  on  the  ground,  and  fell  upon  rne  with 
a  loud  cry.     Hereat  the  Sheriff,  who  had  followed  her,  started, 
but  presently  cried  out,  "  Wait,  thou  prying  parson,  I  will  teach 
thee  to  listen !"  and  ran  out  and  beckoned  to  the  constable  who 
stood  on  the  steps  below.     He  bade  him  first  shut  me  up  in  one 
dungeon,  seeing  that  I  was  an  eavesdropper,  and  then  return  and 
thrust  my  child  into  another.     But  he  thought  better  of  it  when 
\\r   had  come  half  way  down  the  winding-stair,  and  said  he 
would  excuse  me  this  time,  and  that  the  constable  might  let  me 
go,  and  only  lock  up  my  child  very  fast,  and  bring  the  key  to 
him,  seeing  she  was  a  stubborn  person,  as  he  had  seen  at  the 
very  first  hearing  which  he  had  given  her. 

Hereupon  my  poor  child  was  torn  from  me,  and  I  fell  in  a 
su'ound  upon  the  steps.  I  know  not  how  I  got  down  them  ;  but 
when  I  came  to  myself,  I  was  in  the  constable  his  room,  and  his 
wife  was  throwing  water  in  my  face.  There  I  passed  the  night 
sitting  in  a  chair,  and  sorrowed  more  than  I  prayed,  seeing  that 
my  faith  was  greatly  shaken,  and  the  Lord  came  not  to  strength- 
rii  it. 


CHAP,  xviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  81 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

Of  the  first  trial,  and  what  came  thereof. 

NEXT  morning,  as  I  walked  up  and  down  in  the  court,  seeing 
that  I  had  many  times  asked  the  constable  in  vain  to  lead  me  to 
my  child  (he  would  not  even  tell  me  where  she  lay),  and  for  very 
disquietude  I  had  at  last  begun  to  wander  about  there ;  about 
six  o'clock  there  came  a  coach  from  Uzdom,*  wherein  sat  his 
worship,  Master  Samuel  Pieper,  consul  dirigens,  item,  the  came- 
rarius  Gebhard  Wenzel,  and  a  scriba,  whose  name,  indeed,  I 
heard,  but  have  forgotten  it  again ;  and  my  daughter  forgot  it 
too,  albeit  in  other  things  she  has  an  excellent  memory,  and, 
indeed,  told  me  most  of  what  follows,  for  my  old  head  well  nigh 
burst,  so  that  I  myself  could  remember  but  little.  I  straight- 
way went  up  to  the  coach,  and  begged  that  the  worshipful  court 
would  suffer  me  to  be  present  at  the  trial,  seeing  that  my  daughter 
was  yet  in  her  nonage,  but  which  the  Sheriff",  who  meanwhile 
had  stepped  up  to  the  coach  from  the  terrace,  whence  he  had 
seen  all,  had  denied  me.  But  his  worship  Master  Samuel  Pie- 
per,  who  was  a  little  round  man,  with  a  fat  paunch,  and  a  beard 
mingled  with  grey  hanging  down  to  his  middle,  reached  me  his 
hand,  and  condoled  with  me  like  a  Christian  in  my  trouble :  I 
might  come  into  court  in  God's  name ;  and  he  wished  with  all 
his  heart  that  all  whereof  my  daughter  was  fyled  might  prove 
to  be  foul  lies.  Nevertheless  I  had  still  to  wait  full  two  hours 
before  their  worships  came  down  the  winding  stair  again.  At 
last  towards  nine  o'clock  I  heard  the  constable  moving  about  the 
chairs  and  benches  in  the  j  udgment  chamber ;  and  as  I  conceived 
that  the  time  was  now  come,  I  went  in  and  sat  myself  down  on  a 
bench.  No  one,  however,  was  yet  there,  save  the  constable  and 
his  young  daughter,  who  was  wiping  the  table,  and  held  a  rose- 

*  Or  Usedom,  a  small  town  which  gives  its  name  to  the  whole  island. 
7 


82  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvm. 

bud  between  her  lips.  I  was  fain  to  beg  her  to  give  it  me,  so 
that  I  might  have  it  to  smell  to ;  and  I  believe  that  I  should  have 
been  carried  dead  out  of  the  room  that  day  if  I  had  not  had  it. 
God  is  thus  able  to  preserve  our  lives  even  by  means  of  a  poor 
flower,  if  so  he  wills  it ! 

At  length  their  Worships  came  in  and  sat  round  the  table, 
whereupon  Dom.  Consul  motioned  the  constable  to  fetch  in  my 
child.  Meanwhile  he  asked  the  Sheriff  whether  he  had  put  Rea 
in  chains,  and  when  he  said  No,  he  gave  him  such  a  reprimand 
that  it  went  through  my  very  marrow.  But  the  Sheriff  excused 
himself,  saying  that  he  had  not  done  so  from  regard  to  her  qual- 
ity, but  had  locked  her  up  in  so  fast  a  dungeon,  that  she  could 
not  possibly  escape  therefrom.  Whereupon  Dom.  Consul  an- 
swered that  much  is  possible  to  the  devil,  and  that  they  would 
have  to  answer  for  it  should  Rea  escape.  This  angered  the 
Sheriff,  and  he  replied  that  if  the  devil  could  convey  her  through 
walls  seven  feet  thick,  and  through  three  doors,  he  could  very 
easily  break  her  chains  too.  Whereupon  Dom.  Consul  said  that 
hereafter  he  would  look  at  the  prison  himself;  and  I  think  that 
the  Sheriff  had  been  so  kind  only  because  he  yet  hoped  (as,  in- 
deed, will  hereafter  be  shown)  to  talk  over  my  daughter  to  let 
him  have  his  will  of  her. 

And  now  the  door  opened,  and  my  poor  child  came  in  with 
the  constable,  but  walking  backwards,*  and  without  her  shoes, 
the  which  she  was  forced  to  leave  without.  The  fellow  had 
seized  her  by  her  long  hair,  and  thus  dragged  her  up  to  the  table, 
when  first  she  was  to  turn  round  and  look  upon  her  judges.  He 
had  a  vast  deal  to  say  in  the  matter,  and  was  in  every  way  a 
bold  and  impudent  rogue,  as  will  soon  be  shown.  After  Dom. 
Consul  had  heaved  a  deep  sigh,  and  gazed  at  her  from  head  to 
foot,  he  first  asked  her  name,  and  how  old  she  was;  item,  if  she 
knew  why  she  was  summoned  before  them  ?  On  the  last  point 
she  answered  that  the  Sheriff  had  already  told  her  father  the 
reason ;  that  she  wished  not  to  wrong  any  one,  but  thought  that 

*This  ridiculous  proceeding  always  took  place  at  the  first  examination  of 
a  witch,  as  it  was  imagined  that  she  Would  otherwise  bewitch  the  judges  with 
her  looks.  On  this  occasion  indeed  such  an  event  was  not  unlikely. 


CHAP,  xvin.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  83 

the  Sheriff  himself  had  brought  upon  her  the  repute  of  a  witch, 
in  order  to  gain  her  to  his  wicked  will.  Hereupon  she  told  all 
his  ways  with  her,  from  the  very  first,  and  how  he  would  by  all 
means  have  had  her  for  his  housekeeper ;  and  that  when  she 
would  not  (although  he  had  many  times  come  himself  to  her 
father  his  house),  one  day,  as  he  went  out  of  the  door,  he  had 
muttered  in  his  beard,  "  I  will  have  her,  despite  of  all !"  which 
their  servant  Glaus  Neels  had  heard,  as  he  stood  in  the  stable ; 
and  he  had  also  sought  to  gain  his  ends  by  means  «f  an  ungodly 
woman,  one  Lizzie  Kolken,  who  had  formerly  been  in  his  service ; 
that  this  woman,  belike,  had  contrived  the  spells  which  they  laid 
to  her  charge  :  she  herself  knew  nothing  of  witchcraft ;  item, 
she  related  what  the  Sheriff  had  done  to  her  the  evening  before, 
when  she  had  just  come,  and  when  he  for  the  first  time  spoke  out 
plainly,  thinking  that  she  was  then  altogether  in  his  power  :  nay, 
more,  that  he  had  come  to  her  that  very  night  again,  in  her  dun- 
geon, and  had  made  her  the  same  offers,  saying  that  he  would 
set  her  free  if  she  would  let  him  have  his  will  of  her  ;  and  that 
when  she  denied  him,  he  had  struggled  with  her,  whereupon  she 
had  screamed  aloud,  and  had  scratched  him  across  the  nose,  as 
might  yet  be  seen,  whereupon  he  had  left  her ;  wherefore  she 
would  not  acknowledge  the  Sheriff  as  her  judge,  and  trusted  in 
God  to  save  her  from  the  hand  of  her  enemies,  as  of  old  he  had 
saved  the  chaste  Susannah. 

When  she  now  held  her  peace  amid  loud  sobs,  Dom.  Consul 
started  up  after  he  had  looked,  as  we  all  did,  at  the  Sheriff's 
nose,  and  had  in  truth  espied  the  scar  upon  it,  and  cried  out  in 
amaze,  "  Speak,  for  God  his  sake,  speak,  what  is  this  that  I  hear 
of  your  lordship  ?"  Whereupon  the  Sheriff,  without  changing 
color,  answered,  that  although,  indeed,  he  was  not  called  upon 
to  say  anything  to  their  worships,  seeing  that  he  was  the  head 
of  the  court,  and  that  Rea,  as  appeared  from  numberless  indicia, 
was  a  wicked  witch,  and  therefore  could  not  bear  witness  against 
him  or  any  one  else  ;  he,  nevertheless,  would  speak,  so  as  to 
give  no  cause  of  scandal  to  the  court ;  that  all  the  charges 
brought  against  him  by  this  person  were  foul  lies ;  it  was,  indeed, 
true,  that  he  would  have  hired  her  for  a  housekeeper,  whereof 
he  stood  greatly  in  need,  seeing  that  his  old  Dorothy  was  already 


84  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvin. 

growing  infirm  ;  it  was  also  true  that  he  had  yesterday  ques- 
tioned her  in  private,  hoping  to  get  her  to  confess  by  fair  means, 
whereby  her  sentence  would  be  softened,  inasmuch  as  he  had 
pity  on  her  great  youth ;  but  that  he  had  not  said  one  naughty 
word  to  her,  nor  had  he  been  to  her  in  the  night ;  and  that  it 
was  his  little  lap-dog,  called  Below,  which  had  scratched  him, 
while  he  played  with  it  that  very  morning  ;  that  his  old  Dorothy 
could  bear  witness  to  this,  and  that  the  cunning  witch  had  only 
made  use  of  this  wile  to  divide  the  court  against  itself,  thereby 
and  with  the  devil's  help,  to  gain  her  own  advantage,  inasmuch 
as  she  was  a  most  cunning  creature,  as  the  court  would  soon 
find  out. 

Hereupon  I  plucked  up  a  heart,  and  declared  that  all  my 
daughter  had  said  was  true,  and  that  the  evening  before  I 
myself  had  heard,  through  the  door,  how  his  lordship  had  made 
offers  to  her,  and  would  have  done  wantonness  with  her ;  item, 
that  he  had  already  sought  to  kiss  her  once  at  Coserow  ;  item, 
the  troubles  which  his  lordship  had  formerly  brought  upon  me 
in  the  matter  of  the  first-fruits. 

Howbeit  the  Sheriff  presently  talked  me  down,  saying,  that 
if  I  had  slandered  him,  an  innocent  man,  in  church,  from  the 
pulpit,  as  the  whole  congregation  could  bear  witness,  I  should 
doubtless  find  it  easy  to  do  as  much  here,  before  the  court ;  not 
to  mention  that  a  father  could,  in  no  case,  be  a  witness  for  his 
own  child. 

But  Do/Ti.  Consul  seemed  quite  confounded,  and  was  silent, 
and  leaned  his  head  on  the  table,  as  in  deep  thought.  Mean- 
while  the  impudent  constable  began  to  finger  his  beard  from 
under  his  arm  ;  and  Dom.  Consul  thinking  it  was  a  fly,  struck 
at  him  with  his  hand,  without  even  looking  up ;  but  when  he 
felt  the  constable  his  hand,  he  jumped  up  and  asked  him  what 
he  wanted  ?  whereupon  the  fellow  answered,  "  O,  only  a  louse 
was  creeping  there,  and  I  would  have  caught  it." 

At  such  impudence  his  worship  was  so  exceeding  wroth  that 
he  struck  the  constable  on  the  mouth,  and  ordered  him,  on  pain 
of  heavy  punishment,  to  leave  the  room. 

Hereupon  he  turned  to  the  Sheriff,  and  cried,  angrily,  "  Why, 
in  the  name  of  all  the  ten  devils,  is  it  thus  your  lordship  keeps 


CHAP,  xviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  85 

the  constable  in  order  ?  and  truly,  in  this  whole  mater,  there  is 
something  which  passes  my  understanding."  But  the  Sheriff 
answered,  "  Not  so  ;  should  you  not  understand  it  all  when  you 
think  upon  the  eels  ?" 

Hereat  Dom.  Consul  of  a  sudden  turned  ghastly  pale,  and 
began  to  tremble,  as  it  appeared  to  me,  and  called  the  Sheriff 
aside  into  another  chamber.  I  have  never  been  able  to  learn 
what  that  about  the  eels  could  mean. • 

Meanwhile  Dominus  Camerarius  Gebhard  Wenzel  sat  biting 
his  pen  and  looking  furiously — now  at  me,  and  now  at  my  child, 
but  said  not  a  word  ;  neither  did  he  answer  Scriba,  who  often 
whispered  somewhat  into  his  ear,  save  by  a  growl.  At  length 
both  their  worships  came  back  into  the  chamber  together,  and 
Dom.  Consul,  after  he  and  the  Sheriff  had  seated  themselves, 
began  to  reproach  my  poor  child  violently,  saying  that  she  had 
sought  to  make  a  disturbance  in  the  worshipful  court ;  that  his 
lordship  had  shown  him  the  very  dog  which  had  scratched  his 
nose,  and  that,  moreover,  the  fact  had  been  sworn  to  by  the  old 
housekeeper. 

(Truly  she  was  not  likely  to  betray  him,  for  the  old  harlot 
had  lived  with  him  for  years,  and  she  had  a  good  big  boy  by 
him,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter.) 

Item,  he  said  that  so  many  indicia  of  her  guilt  had  come  to 
light,  that  it  was  impossible  to  believe  anything  she  might  say ; 
she  was  therefore  to  give  glory  to  God,  and  openly  to  confess 
everything,  so  as  to  soften  her  punishment ;  whereby  she  might 
perchance,  in  pity  for  her  youth,  escape  with  life,  &c. 

Hereupon  he  put  his  spectacles  on  his  nose,  and  began  to 
cross-question  her,  during  near  four  hours,  from  a  paper  which 
he  held  in  his  hand.  These  were  the  main  articles,  as  far  as 
both  can  remember  : 

Qucestio.  Whether  she  could  bewitch  ? — Responsio.  No  ;  she 
knew  nothing  of  witchcraft. 

Q.  Whether  she  could  charm  ?— R.  Of  that  she  knew  as 
little. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  ever  been  on  the  Blocksberg  ? — R.  That 
was  too  far  off  for  her  ;  she  knew  few  hills  save  the  Streckel- 
berg,  where  she  had  been  very  often. 


86  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvm. 

Q.  What  had  she  done  there  ? — R.  She  had  looked  out  over 
the  sea,  or  gathered  flowers ;  item,  at  time  carried  home  an 
apron-full  of  dry  brushwood. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  ever  called  upon  the  devil  there  ? — R. 
That  had  never  come  into  her  mind. 

Q.  Whether,  then,  the  devil  had  appeared  to  her  there,  un- 
called ? — R.  God  defend  her  from  such  a  thing. 

Q.  So  she  could  not  bewitch  ? — R.  No. 

Q.  What,  then,  befel  Kit  Zuter  his  spotted  cow,  that  it  sud- 
denly died  in  her  presence  ? — R.  She  did  not  know ;  and  that 
was  a  strange  question. 

Q.  Then  it  would  be  as  strange  a  question,  why  Katie  Berow 
her  little  pig  had  died  ? — R.  Assuredly  ;  she  wondered  what 
they  would  lay  to  her  charge.' 

Q.  Then  she  had  not  bewitched  them  ? — R.  No;  God  forbid  it. 

Q.  Why,  then,  if  she  were  innocent,  had  she  promised  old 
Katie  another  little  pig,  when  her  sow  should  litter  ? — R.  She 
did  that  out  of  kind-heartedness.  (And  hereupon  she  began  to 
weep  bitterly,  and  said  she  plainly  saw  that  she  had  to  thank 
old  Lizzie  Kolken  for  all  this,  inasmuch  as  she  had  often 
threatened  her  when  she  would  not  fulfil  all  her  greedy  desires, 
for  she  wanted  everything  that  came  in  her  way  ;  moreover, 
that  Lizzie  had  gone  all  about  the  village  when  the  cattle  were 
bewitched,  persuading  the  people  that  if  only  a  pure  maid 
pulled  a  few  hairs  out  of  the  beasts'  tails  they  would  get  better. 
That  she  pitied  them,  and  knowing  herself  to  be  a  maid,  went 
to  help  them  ;  and  indeed,  at  first  it  cured  them,  but  latterly  not.) 

Q.  What  cattle  had  she  cured  ? — R.  Zabel  his  red  cow ; 
iti'/n,  Witthan  her  pig,  and  old  Lizzie's  own  cow. 

Q.  Why  could  she  afterwards  cure  them  no  more  ? — R.  She 
did  not  know,  but  thought — albeit  she  had  no  wish  to  fyle  any 
one — that  old  Lizzie  Kolken,  who  for  many  a  long  year  had 
been  in  common  repute  as  a  witch,  had  done  it  all,  and  bewitched 
the  cows  in  her  name  and  then  charmed  them  back  again,  as 
she  pleased,  only  to  bring  her  to  misfortune. 

Q.  Why,  then,  had  old  Lizzie  bewitched  her  own  cow,  item, 
suffered  her  own  pig  to  die,  if  it  was  she  that  had  made  all  the 
disturbance  in  the  village,  and  could  really  charm  ? — R.  She 


CHAP,  xviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  87 

did  not  know ;  but  belike  there  was  some  one  (and  here  she 
looked  at  the  Sheriff)  who  paid  her  double  for  it  all. 

Q.  It  was  in  vain  that  she  sought  to  shift  the  guilt  from  off 
herself;  had  she  not  bewitched  old  Paasch  his  crop,  nay,  even 
her  own  father's,  and  caused  it  to  be  trodden  down  by  the  devil, 
item,  conjured  all  the  caterpillars  into  her  father's  orchard  ? — 
R.  The  question  was  almost  as  monstrous  as  the  deed  would 
have  been.  There  sat  her  father,  and  his  worship  might  ask 
him  whether  she  ever  had  shown  herself  an  undutiful  child  to 
him.  (Hereupon  I  would  have  risen  to  speak,  but  Dom.  Consul 
suffered  me  not  to  open  my  mouth,  but  went  on  with  his  exami- 
nation ;  whereupon  I  remained  silent  and  downcast.) 

Q.  Whether  she  did  likewise  deny  that  it  was  through  her 
malice  that  the  woman  Witthan  had  given  birth  to  a  devil's 
imp,  which  straightway  started  up  and  flew  out  at  the  window, 
so  that  when  the  midwife  sought  for  it,  it  had  disappeared  ? — 
R.  Truly  she  did  ;  and  indeed  she  had  all  the  days  of  her  life 
done  good  to  the  people  instead  of  harm,  for  during  the  terrible 
famine  she  had  often  taken  the  bread  out  of  her  own  mouth 
to  share  it  among  the  others,  especially  the  little  children. 
To  this  the  whole  parish  must  needs  bear  witness,  if  they  were 
asked  ;  whereas  witches  and  warlocks  always  did  evil  and  no 
good  to  men,  as  our  Lord  Jesus  taught  (Matt,  xii.),  when  the 
Pharisees  blasphemed  him,  saying  that  he  cast  out  devils  by 
Beelzebub  the  prince  of  the  devils ;  hence  his  worship  might 
see  whether  she  could  in  truth  be  a  witch. 

Q.  He  would  soon  teach  her  to  talk  of  blasphemies ;  he  saw 
that  her  tongue  was  well  hung  ;  but  she  must  answer  the  ques- 
tions he  asked  her,  and  say  nothing  more.  The  question  was 
not  what  good  she  had  done  to  the  poor,  but  wherewithal  she  had 
done  it ;  she  must  now  show  how  she  and  her  father  had  of  a 
sudden  grown  so  rich  that  she  could  go  pranking  about  in  silken 
raiment,  whereas  she  used  to  be  so  very  poor  ? 

Hereupon  she  looked  towards  me,  and  said,  "  Father,  shall  I 
tell  ?"  Whereupon  I  answered,  "  Yes,  my  child,  now  thou 
must  openly  tell  all,  even  though  we  thereby  become  beggars." 
She  accordingly  told  how,  when  our  need  was  sorest,  she  had 


88  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xvm 

found  the  amber,  and  how  much  we  had  gotten  for  it  from  the 
Dutch  merchants. 

Q.  What  were  the  names  of  these  merchants  ? — R.  Diete- 
rich  von  Pehnen  and  Jacob  Kiekebusch  j  but,  as  we  have  heard 
from  a  schipper,  they  since  died  of  the  plague  at  Stettin. 

Q.  Why  had  we  said  nothing  of  such  a  godsend  ? — R.  Out 
of  fear  of  our  enemy  the  Sheriff,  who,  as  it  seemed,  had  con- 
demned us  to  die  of  hunger,  inasmuch  as  he  forbade  the  parish- 
ioners, under  pain  of  heavy  displeasure,  to  supply  us  with  any- 
thing, saying,  that  he  would  soon  send  them  a  better  parson. 

Hereupon  Dom.  Consul  again  looked  the  Sheriff  sharply  in 
the  face,  who  answered  that  it  was  true  he  had  said  this,  seeing 
that  the  parson  had  preached  at  him  in  the  most  scandalous 
manner  from  the  pulpit ;  but  that  he  knew  very  well,  at  the 
time,  that  they  were  far  from  dying  of  hunger. 

Q.  How  came  so  much  amber  on  the  Streckelberg  ?  She 
had  best  confess  at  once  that  the  devil  had  brought  it  to  her. — 
R.  She  knew  nothing  about  that.  But  there  was  a  great  vein 
of  amber  there,  as  she  could  show  to  them  all  that  very  day  ; 
and  she  had  broken  out  the  amber,  and  covered  the  hole  well 
over  with  fir-twigs,  so  that  none  should  find  it. 

Q.  When  had  she  gone  up  the  Streckelberg ;  by  day  or  by 
night  ? — R.  Hereupon  she  blushed,  and  for  a  moment  held  her 
peace ;  but  presently  made  answer,  "  Sometimes  by  day,  and 
sometimes  by  night." 

Q.  Why  did  she  hesitate  ?  She  had  better  make  a  full  con- 
fession of  all,  so  that  her  punishment  might  be  less  heavy. 
Had  she  not  there  given  over  old  Seden  to  Satan,  who  had  car- 
ried him  off  through  the  air,  and  left  only  a  part  of  his  hair  and 
brains  sticking  to  the  top  of  an  oak  ? — R.  She  did  not  know 
whether  that  was  his  hair  and  brains  at  all,  nor  how  it  came 
there.  She  went  to  the  tree  one  morning  because  she  heard  a 
woodpecker  cry  so  dolefully.  Item,  old  Paasch,  who  also  had 
heard  the  cries,  came  up  with  his  axe  in  his  hand. 

Q.  Whether  the  woodpecker  was  not  the  devil  himself,  who 
had  carried  off  old  Seden  ? — R.  She  did  not  know  :  but  he  must 
have  been  dead  some  time,  seeing  that  the  blood  and  brains 
which  the  lad  fetched  down  out  of  the  tree  were  quite  dried  up. 


CHAP,  xviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  89 

Q.  How  and  when,  then,  had  he  come  by  his  death  ? — R. 
That  Almighty  God  only  knew.  But  Zuter  his  little  girl  had 
said  that  one  day,  while  she  gathered  nettles  for  the  cows  under 
Seden  his  hedge,  she  heard  the  goodman  threaten  his  squint-eyed 
wife  that  he  would  tell  the  parson  that  he  now  knew  of  a  cer- 
tainty that  she  had  a  familiar  spirit ;  whereupon  the  goodman 
had  presently  disappeared.  But  that  this  was  a  child's  tale,  and 
she  would  fyle  no  one  on  the  strength  of  it. 

Hereupon  Dom.  Consul  again  looked  the  Sheriff  steadily  in 
the  face,  and  said,  "  Old  Lizzie  Kolken  must  be  brought  before 
us  this  very  day  :"  whereto  the  Sheriff  made  no  answer ;  and  he 
went  on  to  ask, — 

Q.  Whether,  then,  she  still  maintained  that  she  knew  nothing 
of  the  devil  ? — R.  She  maintained  it  now,  and  would  maintain 
it  until  her  life's  end. 

Q.  And  nevertheless,  as  had  been  seen  by  witnesses,  she  had 
been  re-baptized  by  him  in  the  sea  in  broad  daylight. — Here 
again  she  blushed,  and  for  a  moment  was  silent. 

Q.  Why  did  she  blush  again  ?  She  should  for  God  his  sake 
think  on  her  salvation,  and  confess  the  truth. — R.  She  had 
bathed  herself  in  the  sea,  seeing  that  the  day  was  very  hot ;  that 
was  the  whole  truth. 

Q.  What  chaste  maiden  would  ever  bathe  in  the  sea  ?  Thou 
liest ;  or  wilt  thou  even  yet  deny  that  thou  didst  bewitch  old 
Paasch  his  little  girl  with  a  white  roll  ? — R.  Alas  !  alas  !  She 
loved  the  child  as  though  it  were  her  own  little  sister ;  not  only 
had  she  taught  her  as  well  as  all  the  other  children  without 
reward,  but  during  the  heavy  famine  she  had  often  taken  the  bit 
from  her  own  mouth  to  put  it  into  the  little  child's.  How  then 
could  she  have  wished  to  do  her  such  grievous  harm  ? 

Q.  Wilt  thou  even  yet  deny  ? — Reverend  Abraham,  how  stub- 
born is  your  child  !  See  here,  is  this  no  witches'  salve,*  which 
the  constable  fetched  out  of  thy  coffer  last  night  ?  Is  this  no 
witches'  salve,  eh  ? — R.  It  was  a  salve  for  the  skin,  which 

*  It  was  believed  that  the  devil  gave  the  witches  a  salve,  by  the  use  of 
which  they  made  themselves  invisible,  changed  themselves  into  animals, 
flew  through  the  air,  &c. 


90  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xvm. 

would  make  it  soft  and  white,  as  the  apothecary  at  Wolgast  had 
told  her,  of  whom  she  bought  it. 

Q-.  Hereupon  he  shook  his  head,  and  went  on :  How  !  wilt 
thou  then  lastly  deny  that  on  this  last  Saturday  the  10th 
July,  at  12  o'clock  at  night,  thou  didst  on  the  Streckelberg  call 
upon  thy  paramour  the  devil  in  dreadful  words,  whereupon  he 
appeared  to  thee  in  the  shape  of  a  great  hairy  giant,  and  clipped 
thee  and  toyed  with  thee  ? 

At  these  words  she  grew  more  pale  than  a  corpse,  and 
tottered  so  that  she  was  forced  to  hold  by  a  chair ;  and  I, 
wretched  man,  who  would  readily  have  sworn  away  my  life  for 
her,  when  I  saw  and  heard  this,  my  senses  forsook  me,  so  that  I 
fell  down  from  the  bench,  and  Dom.  Consul  had  to  call  in  the 
constable  to  help  me  up. 

When  I  had  come  to  myself  a  little,  and  the  impudent  varlet 
saw  our  common  consternation,  he  cried  out,  grinning  at  the 
court  the  while,  "  Is  it  all  out  ?  is  it  all  out  ?  has  she  confessed  ?" 
Whereupon  Dom.  Consul  again  showed  him  the  door  with  a 
sharp  rebuke,  as  might  have  been  expected ;  and  it  is  said  that 
this  knave  played  the  pimp  for  the  Sheriff,  and  indeed  I  think 
he  would  not  otherwise  have  been  so  bold. 

Summa  :  I  should  well  nigh  have  perished  in  my  distress, 
but  for  the  little  rose,  which  by  the  help  of  God's  mercy  kept 
me  up  bravely ;  and  now  the  whole  court  rose  and  exhorted  my 
poor  fainting  child,  by  the  living  God,  and  as  she  would  save 
her  soul,  to  deny  no  longer,  but  in  pity  to  herself  and  her  father 
to  confess  the  truth. 

Hereupon  she  heaved  a  deep  sigh,  and  grew  as  red  as  she  had 
been  pale  before,  inasmuch  that  even  her  hand  upon  the  chair 
was  like  scarlet,  and  she  did  not  raise  her  eyes  from  the  ground. 

R.  She  would  now  then  confess  the  simple  truth,  as  she  saw 
right  well  that  wicked  people  had  stolen  after  and  watched 
her  at  nights.  That  she  had  been  to  seek  for  amber  on  the 
mountain,  and  that  to  drive  away  fear  she  had,  as  she  was  wont 
to  do  at  her  work,  recited  the  Latin  carmen  which  her  father  had 
made  on  the  illustrious  King  Gustavus  Adolphus ;  when  young 
Riidiger  of  Nienkerken,  who  had  oft-times  been  at  her  father's 
house  and  talked  of  love  to  her,  came  out  of  the  coppice,  and 


CHAP,  xviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  91 

.»  

when  she  cried  out  for  fear,  spoke  to  her  in  Latin,  and  clasped 
her  in  his  arms.  That  he  wore  a  great  wolf's-skin  coat,  so  that 
folks  should  not  know  him  if  they  met  him,  and  tell  the  lor*d  his 
father  that  he  had  been  on  the  mountain  by  night. 

At  this  her  confession  I  fell  into  sheer  despair,  and  cried 
in  great  wrath,  "  O  thou  ungodly  and  undutiful  child,  after  all 
•then  thou  hast  a  paramour !  Did  not  I  forbid  thee  to  go  up  the 
mountain  by  night  ?  What  didst  thou  want'on  the  mountain  by 
night  ?"  and  I  began  to  moan  and  weep  and  wring  my  hands,  so 
that  Dom.  Consul  even  had  pity  on  me,  and  drew  near  to  com- 
fort me.  Meanwhile  she  herself  came  towards  me,  and  began 
to  defend  herself,  saying,  with  many  tears,  that  she  had  gone  up 
the  mountain  by  night,  against  my  commands,  to  get  so  much 
amber  that  she  might  secretly  buy  for  me,  against  my  birthday, 
the  Opera  Sancti  Augustini,  which  the  Cantor  at  Wolgast 
wanted  to  sell.  That  it  was  not  her  fault  that  the  young  lord 
lay  in  wait  for  her  one  night ;  and  that  she  would  swear  to  me, 
by  the  living  God,  that  naught  that  was  unseemly  had  happened 
between  them  there,  and  that  she  was  still  a  maid. 

And  herewith  the  first  hearing  was  at  an  end,  for  after  Dom. 
Consul  had  whispered  somewhat  into  the  ear  of  the  Sheriff,  he 
called  in  the  constable  again,  and  bade  him  keep  good  watch 
over  Rea  ;  item,  not  to  leave  her  at  large  in  her  dungeon  any 
longer,  but  to  put  her  in  chains.  These  words  pierced  my  very 
heart,  and  I  besought  his  worship  to  consider  my  sacred  office, 
and  my  ancient  noble  birth,  and  not  to  do  me  such  dishonor  as 
to  put  my  daughter  in  chains.  That  I  would  answer  for  her  to 
the  worshipful  court  with  my  own  head  that  she  would  not 
escape.  Whereupon  Dom.  Consul,  after  he  had  gone  to  look  at 
the  dungeon  himself,  granted  me  my  request,  and  commanded 
the  constable  to  leave  her  as  she  had  been  hitherto. 


92  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xix. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

How  Satan,  by  the  permission  of  the  most  righteous  God,  sought  altogether 
to  ruin  us,  and  how  we  lost  all  hope. 

THE  same  day,  at  about  three  in  the  afternoon,  when  I  was  gone 
to  Conrad  Seep  his  ale-house  to  eat  something,  seeing  that  it 
was  now  nearly  two  days  since  I  had  tasted  aught  save  my 
tears,  and  he  had  placed  before  me  some  bread  and  sausage, 
together  with  a  mug  of  beer,  the  constable  came  into  the  room 
and  greeted  me  from  the  Sheriff,  without,  however,  so  much  as 
touching  his  cap,  asking  whether  I  would  not  dine  with  his 
lordship ;  that  his  lordship  had  not  remembered  till  now  that  I 
belike  was  still  fasting,  seeing  that  the  trial  had  lasted  so  long. 
Hereupon  I  made  answer  to  the  constable  that  I  already  had  my 
dinner  before  me,  as  he  saw  himself,  and  desired  that  his  lord- 
ship would  hold  me  excused.  Hereat  the  fellow  wondered 
greatly,  and  answered ;  did  I  not  see  that  his  lordship  wished 
me  well,  albeit  I  had  preached  at  him  as  though  he  were  a  Jew  ? 
I  should  think  on  my  daughter,  and  be  somewhat  more  ready  to 
do  his  lordship's  will,  whereby  peradventure  all  would  yet  end 
well.  For  his  lordship  was  not  such  a  rough  ass  as  Dom.  Con- 
sul, and  meant  well  by  my  child  and  me,  as  beseemeth  a  right- 
eous magistrate. 

After  I  had  with  some  trouble  rid  myself  of  this  impudent 
fox,  I  tried  to  eat  a  bit,  but  nothing  would  go  down  save  the 
beer.  I  therefore  soon  sat  and  thought  again  whether  I  would 
not  lodge  with  Conrad  Seep,  so  as  to  be  always  near  my 
child  ;  item,  whether  I  should  not  hand  over  my  poor  misguided 
flock  to  M.  Vigelius,  the  pastor  of  Benz,  for  such  time  as  the 
Lord  still  should  prove  me.  In  about  an  hour  I  saw  through 
the  window  how  that  an  empty  coach  drove  to  the  castle,  and 
the  Sheriff  and  Dom.  Consul  straightway  stepped  thereinto  with 


CHAP  xix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  93 

my  child  ;  item,  the  constable  climbed  up  behind.  Hereupon  I 
left  everything  on  the  table  and  ran  to  the  coach,  asking  hum- 
bly whither  they  were  about  to  take  my  poor  child ;  and  when 
I  heard  they  were  going  to  the  Streckelberg  to  look  after  the 
amber,  I  begged  them  to  take  me  also,  and  to  suffer  me  to  sit 
by  my  child,  for  who  could  tell  how  much  longer  I  might  yet 
sit  by  her !  This  was  granted  to  me,  and  on  the  way  the  Sher- 
iff offered  me  to  take  up  my  abode  in  the  castle  and  to  dine  at 
his  table  as  often  as  I  pleased,  and  that  he  would,  moreover, 
send  my  child  her  meat  from  his  own  table.  For  that  he  had  a 
Christian  heart,  and  well  knew  that  we  were  to  forgive  our  ene- 
mies. But  I  refused  his  kindness  with  humble  thanks,  as  my 
child  did  also,  seeing  we  were  not  yet  so  poor  that  we  could  not 
maintain  ourselves.  As  we  passed  by  the  watermill  the  un- 
godly varlet  there  again  thrust  his  head  out  of  a  hole  and  pulled 
wry  faces  at  my  child  ;  but,  dear  reader,  he  got  something  to 
remember  it  by ;  for  the  Sheriff  beckoned  to  the  constable  to 
fetch  the  fellow  out,  and  after  he^  had  reproached  him  with  the 
tricks  he  had  twice  played  my  child,  the  constable  had  to  take 
the  coachman  his  new  whip  and  to  give  him  fifty  lashes,  which, 
God  knows,  were  not  laid  on  with  a  feather.  He  bellowed  like 
a  bull,  which,  however,  no  one  heard  for  the  noise  of  the  mill-* 
wheels,  and  when  at  last  he  did  as  though  he  could  not  stir,  we 
left  him  lying  on  the  ground  and  went  on  our  way. 

As  we  drove  through  Uekeritze  a  number  of  people  flocked 
together,  but  were  quiet  enough,  save  one  fellow  who,  salvd 
venid,  mocked  at  us  with  unseemly  gestures  in  the  midst  of  the 
road  when  he  saw  us  coming.  The  constable  had  to  jump 
down  again,  but  could  not  catch  him,  and  the  others  would  not 
give  him  up,  but  pretended  that  they  had  only  looked  at  our 
coach  and  had  not  marked  him.  May  be  this  was  true  !  and  I 
am  therefore  inclined  to  think  that  it  was  Satan  himself  who  did 
it  to  mock  at  us  ;  for  mark,  for  God's  sake,  what  happened  to 
us  on  the  Streckelberg !  Alas !  through  the  delusions  of  the 
foul  fiend,  we  could  not  find  the  spot  where  we  had  dug  for  the 
amber.  For  when  we  came  to  where  we  thought  it  must  be,  a 
huge  hill  of  sand  had  been  heaped  up  as  by  a  whirlwind,  and 
the  fir-twigs  which  my  child  had  covered  over  it  were  gone. 


94  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xix. 

She  was  near  falling  in  a  swound  when  she  saw  this,  and  wrung 
her  hands  and  cried  out  with  her  Saviour,  "  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  !" 

Howbeit,  the  constable  and  the  coachman  were  ordered  to  dig, 
but  not  one  bit  of  amber  was  to  be  found,  even  so  big  as  a  grain 
of  corn,  whereupon  Dom.  Consul  shook  his  head  and  violently 
upbraided  my  child ;  and  when  I  answered  that  Satan  himself, 
as  it  seemed,  had  filled  up  the  hollow  in  order  to  bring  us  alto- 
gether into  his  power,  the  constable  was  ordered  to  fetch  a  long 
stake  out  of  the  coppice  which  we  might  thrust  still  deeper  into 
the  sand.  But  no  hard  oljectum  was  anywhere  to  be  felt,  not- 
withstanding the  Sheriff,  Dom.  Consul,  and  myself  in  my  an- 
guish did  try  everywhere  with  the  stake. 

Hereupon  my  child  besought  her  judges  to  go  with  her  to 
Coserow,  where  she  still  had  much  amber  in  her  coffer  which 
she  had  found  here,  and  that  if  it  were  the  gift  of  the  devil  it 
would  all  be  changed,  since  it  was  well  known  that  all  the 
presents  the  devil  makes  to  witches  straightway  turn  to  mud 
and  ashes. 

But,  God  be  merciful  to  us,  God  be  merciful  to  us  !  when  we 
returned  to  Coserow,  amid  the  wonderment  of  all  the  village,  and 
my  daughter  went  to  her  coffer,  the  things  therein  were  all 
tossed  about,  and  the  amber  gone.  Hereupon  she  shrieked  so 
loud  that  it  would  have  softened  a  stone,  and  cried  out,  "  The 
wicked  constable  hath  done  this !  when  he  fetched  the  salve  out 
of  my  coffer,  he  stole  the  amber  from  me,  unhappy  maid."  But 
the  constable,  who  stood  by,  would  have  torn  her  hair,  and  cried 
out,  "  Thou  witch,  thou  damned  witch,  is  it  not  enough  that 
thou  hast  belied  my  lord,  but  thou  must  now  belie  me  too?" 
But  Dom.  Consul  forbade  him,  so  that  he  did  not  dare  lay  hands 
upon  her.  Item,  all  the  money  was  gone  which  she  had  hoard- 
nl  n  j>  from  the  amber  she  had  privately  sold,  and  which  she 
thought  already  came  to  about  ten  florins. 

But  the  gown  which  she  had  worn  at  the  arrival  of  the  most 
illustrious  King  Gustavus  Adolphus,  as  well  as  the  golden  chain 
with  his  effigy  which  he  had  given  her,  I  had  locked  up  as  though 
it  were  a  relic  in  the  chest  in  the  vestry,  among  the  altar  and 
pulpit  cloths,  and  there  we  found  them  still ;  and  when  I  ex- 


CHAP,  xix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  95 

cused  myself  therefore,  saying  that  I  had  thought  to  have  saved 
them  up  for  her  there  against  her  bridal  day,  she  gazed  with 
fixed  and  glazed  eyes  into  the  box,  arid  cried  out,  "  Yes,  against 
the  day  when  I  shall  be  burnt ;  Oh,  Jesu,  Jesu,  Jesu  !"  Hereat 
Dom.  Consul  shuddered  and  said,  "  See  how  thou  still  dost  smite 
thyself  with  thine  own  words.  For  the  sake  of  God  and  thy 
salvation,  confess,  for  if  thou  knowest  thyself  to  be  innocent, 
how,  then,  canst  thou  think  that  thou  wilt  be  burnt  ?"  But  she 
still  looked  him  fixedly  in  the  face,  and  cried  aloud  in  Latin, 
"  Innocentia,  quid  est  innocentia  !  Ubi  libido  dominatur,  inno- 
centia  lev e  presidium  est."* 

Hereupon  Dom.  Consul  again  shuddered,  so  that  his  beard 
wagged,  and  said,  "  What,  dost  thou  indeed  know  Latin  ? 
Where  didst  thou  learn  the  Latin  ?"  And  when  I  answered  this 
question  as  well  as  I  was  able  for  sobbing,  he  shook  his  head, 
and  said,  "  I  never  in  my  life  heard  of  a  woman  that  knew 
Latin."  Upon  this  he  knelt  down  before  her  coffer,  and  turned 
over  everything  therein,  drew  it  away  from  the  wall,  and  when 
he  found  nothing  he  bade  us  show  him  her  bed,  and  did  the  same 
with  that.  This,  at  length,  vexed  the  Sheriff,  who  asked  him 
whether  they  should  not  drive  back  again,  seeing  that  night  was 
coming  on  ?  But  he  answered,  "  Nay,  I  must  first  have  the 
written  paction  which  Satan  has  given  her;"  and  he  went  on 
with  his  search  until"  it  was  almost  dark.f  But  they  found  noth- 
ing at  all,  although  Dom.  Consul,  together  with  the  constable, 
passed  over  no  hole  or  corner,  even  in  the  kitchen  and  cellar. 
Hereupon  he  got  up  again  into  the  coach,  muttering  to  himself, 
and  bade  my  daughter  sit  so  that  she  should  not  look  upon  him. 

And  now  we  once  more  had  the  same  spectaculum  with  the 
accursed  old  witch  Lizzie  Kolken,  seeing  that  she  again  sat  at 
her  door  as  we  drove  by,  and  began  to  sing  at  the  top  of  her 
voice,  "  We  praise  thee,  O  Lord."  But  she  screeched  like  a 
stuck  pig,  so  that  Dom.  Consul  was  amazed  thereat,  and  when 
he  had  heard  who  she  was,  he  asked  the  Sheriff  whether  he 

*  These  words  are  from  Cicero,  if  I  do  not  mistake. 

t  At  this  time  it  was  believed  that  as  a  man  bound  himself  to  the  devil  by 
writing,  so  did  the  devil  in  like  manner  to  the  man. 


96  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xix. 

would  not  that  she  should  be  seized  by  the  constable  and  be 
tied  behind  the  coach,  to  run  after  it,  as  we  had  no  room  for  her 
elsewhere  ;  for  that  he  had  often  been  told  that  all  old  women  who 
had  red  squinting  eyes  and  sharp  voices  were  witches,  not  to 
mention  the  suspicious  things  which  Rea  had  declared  against 
her.  But  he  answered  that  he  could  not  do  this,  seeing  that 
old  Lizzie  was  a  woman  in  good  repute,  and  fearing  God,  as 
Dotn.  Consul  might  learn  for  himself;  but  that,  nevertheless,  he 
had  had  her  summoned  for  the  morrow,  together  with  the  other 
witnesses. 

Yea,  in  truth,  an  excellently  devout  and  worthy  woman  ! — 
for  scarcely  were  we  out  of  the  village,  when  so  fearful  a  storm 
of  thunder,  lightning,  wind,  and  hail  burst  over  our  heads,  that 
the  corn  all  around  us  was  beaten  down  as  with  a  flail,  and  the 
horses  before  the  coach  were  quite  maddened  ;  however,  it  did 
not  last  long.  But  my  poor  child  had  to  bear  all  the  blame 
again,*  inasmuch  as  Dom.  Consul  thought  that  it  was  not  old 
Lizzie,  which,  nevertheless,  was  as  clear  as  the  sun  at  noon-day ! 
but  my  poor  daughter  who  brewed  the  storm ; — for,  beloved 
reader,  what  could  it  have  profited  her,  even  if  she  had  known 
the  black  art  ?  This,  however,  did  not  strike  Dom.  Consul,  and 
Satan,  by  the  permission  of  the  all-righteous  God,  was  presently 
to  use  us  still  worse  ;  for  just  as  we  got  to  the  Master's  Dam,f 
he  came  flying  over  us  in  the  shape  of  a  stork,  and  dropped  a 
frog  so  exactly  over  us  that  it  fell  into  my  daughter  her  lap : 
she  gave  a  shrill  scream,  but  I  whispered  her  to  sit  still,  and  that 
I  would  secretly  throw  the  frog  away  by  one  leg. 

But  the  constable  had  seen  it,  and  cried  out,  "  Hey,  sirs !  hey, 
look  at  the  cursed  witch !  what  has  the  devil  just  thrown  into 
her  lap  ?"  Whereupon  the  Sheriff  and  Dom.  Consul  looked 
round  and  saw  the  frog,  which  crawled  in  her  lap,  and  the  con- 
stable,  after  he  had  blown  upon  it  three  times,  took  it  up  and 
showed  it  to  their  lordships.  Hereat  Dom.  Consul  began  to 
spew,  and  when  he  had  done,  he  ordered  the  coachman  to  stop, 
got  down  from  the  coach,  and  said  we  might  drive  home,  that  he 
felt  qualmish,  and  would  go  a-foot  and  see  if  he  got  better. 

*  Such  sudden  storms  were  attributed  to  witches. 

t  It  is  so  called  to  the  present  day,  and  is  distant  a  mile  from  Coserow. 


CHAP.  xi».]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  97 

But  first  he  privately  whispered  to  the  constable,  which,  how. 
beit,  we  heard  right  well,  that  when  he  got  home  he  should  lay 
my  poor  child  in  chains,  but  not  so  as  to  hurt  her  much  ;  to 
which  neither  she  nor  I  could  answer  save  by  tears  and  sobs. 
But  the  Sheriff  had  heard  it  too,  and  when  his  worship  was 
out  of  sight  he  began  to  stroke  my  child  her  cheeks  from  be- 
hind her  back,  telling  her  to  be  easy,  as  he  also  had  a  word  to 
say  in  the  matter,  and  that  the  constable  should  not  lay  her  in 
chains.  But  that  she  must  leave  off  being  so  hard  to  him  as  she 
had  been  hitherto,  and  come  and  sit  on  the  seat  beside  him,  that 
he  might  privately  give  her  some  good  advice  as  to  what  was  to 
be  done.  To  this  she  answered,  with  many  tears,  that  she 
wished  to  sit  only  by  her  father,  as  she  knew  not  how  much 
longer  she  might  sit  by  him  at  all ;  and  she  begged  for  nothing 
more  save  that  his  lordship  would  leave  her  in  peace.  But  this 
he  would  not  do,  but  pinched  her  back  and  sides  with  his  knees ; 
and  as  she  bore  with  this,  seeing  that  there  was  no  help  for  it, 
he  waxed  bolder,  taking  it  for  a  good  sign.  Meanwhile  Dom. 
Consul  called  out  close  behind  us  (for  being  frightened  he  ran 
just  after  the  coach),  "Constable,  constable,  come  here  quick; 
here  lies  a  hedgehog  in  the  midst  of  the  road !"  whereupon  the 
constable  jumped  down  from  the  coach. 

This  made  the  Sheriff  still  bolder ;  and  at  last  my  child  rose 
up  and  said,  "  Father,  let  us  also  go  a-foot ;  I  can  no  longer 
guard  myself  from  him  here  behind  !"  But  he  pulled  her  down 
again  by  her  clothes,  and  cried  out  angrily,  "  Wait,  thou  wicked 
witch,  I  will  help  thee  to  go  a-foot  if  thou  art  so  wilful ;  thou 
shalt  be  chained  to  the  block  this  very  night."  Whereupon  she 
answered,  "  Do  you  do  that  which  you  cannot  help  doing :  the 
righteous  God,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  one  day  do  unto  you  what 
He  cannot  help  doing." 

Meanwhile  we  had  reached  the  castle,  and  scarcely  were  we 
got  out  of  the  coach,  when  Dom.  Consul,  who  had  run  till  he  was 
all  of  a  sweat,  came  up,  together  with  the  constable,  and 
straightway  gave  over  my  child  into  his  charge,  so  that  I  had 
scarce  time  to  bid  her  farewell.  I  was  left  standing  on  the  floor 
below,  wringing  my  hands  in  the  dark,  and  hearkened  whither 
they  were  leading  her,  inasmuch  as  I  had  not  the  heart  to 
8 


98  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xix. 

follow ;  when  Dom.  Consul,  who  had  stepped  into  a  room  with 
the  Sheriff,  looked  out  at  the  door  again,  and  called  after  the 
constable  to  bring  Rea  once  more  before  them.  And  when  he 
had  done  so,  and  I  went  into  the  room  with  them,  Dom.  Consul 
held  a  letter  in  his  hand,  and,  after  spitting  thrice,  he  began 
thus  :  "  Wilt  thou  still  deny,  thou  stubborn  witch  ?  Hear  what 
the  old  knight,  Hans  von  Nienkerken,  writes  to  the  court  ?" 
Whereupon  he  read  out  to  us,  that  his  son  was  so  disturbed  by 
the  tale  the  accursed  witch  had  told  of  him,  that  he  had  fallen 
sick  from  that  very  hour,  and  that  he,  the  father,  was  not  much 
better.  That  his  son,  Rlidiger,  had  indeed  at  times,  when  he 
went  that  way,  been  to  see  Pastor  Schweidler,  whom  he  had  first 
known  upon  a  journey ;  but  that  he  swore  that  he  wished  he 
might  turn  black  if  he  had  ever  used  any  folly  or  jesting  with 
the  cursed  devil's  whore  his  daughter ;  much  less  ever  been 
with  her  by  night  on  the  Streckelberg,  or  embraced  her  there. 

At  this  dreadful  news  we  both  (I  mean  my  child  and  I)  fell 
down  in  a  swound  together,  seeing  that  we  had  rested  our  last 
hopes  on  the  young  lord  ;  and  I  know  not  what  further  happened. 
For  when  I  came  to  myself,  my  host,  Conrad  Seep,  was  standing 
over  me,  holding  a  funnel  between  my  teeth,  through  which  he 
ladled  some  warm  beer  down  my  throat,  and  I  never  felt  more 
wretched  in  all  my  life ;  insomuch  that  Master  Seep  had  to  un- 
dress me  like  a  little  child,  and  to  help  me  into  bed. 


CHAP,  xx.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

Of  the  malice  of  the  Governor  and  of  old  Lizzie :  item,  of  the  examination 
of  witnesses. 

THE  next  morning  my  hairs,  which  till  datum  had  been  mingled 
with  grey,  were  white  as  snow,  albeit  the  Lord  otherwise  blessed 
me  wondrously.  For  near  daybreak  a  nightingale  flew  into  the 
elder-bush  beneath  my  window,  and  sang  so  sweetly  that  straight- 
way I  thought  it  must  be  a  good  angel.  For  after  I  had  heark- 
ened awhile  to  it,  I  was  all  at  once  able  again  to  pray,  which 
since  last  Sunday  I  could  not  do ;  and  the  spirit  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  began  to  speak  within  me,  "Abba,  Father;"*  and 
straightway  I  was  of  good  cheer,  trusting  that  God  would  once 
more  be  gracious  unto  me  his  wretched  child  ;  and  when  I  had 
given  him  thanks  for  such  great  mercy,  I  fell  into  a  refreshing 
slumber,  and  slept  so  long  that  the  blessed  sun  stood  high  in  the 
heavens  when  I  awoke. 

And  seeing  that  my  heart  was  still  of  good  cheer,  I  sat  up  in 
my  bed,  and  sang  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Be  not  dismayed,  thou 
little  flock  :"  whereupon  Master  Seep  came  into  the  room,  think- 
ing I  had  called  him.  But  he  stood  reverently  waiting  till  I  had 
done  ;  and  after  marvelling  at  my  snow-white  hair,  he  told  me  it 
was  already  seven ;  item,  that  half  my  congregation,  among  others 
my  ploughman,  Glaus  Neels,  were  already  assembled  in  his 
house  to  bear  witness  that  day.  When  I  heard  this,  I  bade  mine 
host  forthwith  send  Glaus  to  the  castle,  to  ask  when  the  court 
would  open,  and  he  brought  word  back  that  no  one  knew,  see- 
ing that  Dom.  Consul  was  already  gone  that  morning  to  Mellen- 
thin  to  see  old  Nienkerken,  and  was  not  yet  come  back.  This 
message  gave  me  good  courage,  and  I  asked  the  fellow  whether 
he  also  had  come  to  bear  witness  against  my  poor  child  ?  To 

Gal.  iv.,  6. 


100  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  ix. 

which  he  answered,  "  Nay,  I  know  naught  save  good  of  her, 
and  I  would  give  the  fellows  their  due,  only" 

These  words  surprised  me,  and  I  vehemently  urged  him  to 
open  his  heart  to  me.  But  he  began  to  weep,  and  at  last  said 
that  he  knew  nothing.  Alas !  he  knew  but  too  much,  and  could 
then  have  saved  my  poor  child  if  he  had  willed.  But  from  fear 
of  the  torture  he  held  his  peace,  as  he  since  owned ;  and  I  will 
here  relate  what  had  befallen  him  that  very  morning. 

He  had  set  out  betimes  that  morning,  so  as  to  be  alone  with 
his  sweetheart,  who  was  to  go  along  with  him  (she  is  Steffen  of 
Zempin  his  daughter,  not  farmer  Steffen,  but  the  lame  gouty 
StefFen),  and  had  got  to  Pudgla  about  five,  where  he  found  no 
one  in  the  ale-house  save  old  Lizzie  Kolken,  who  straightway 
hobbled  up  to  the  castle  ;  and  when  his  sweetheart  was  gone  home 
again,  time  hung  heavy  on  his  hands,  and  he  climbed  over  the 
wall  into  the  castle-garden,  where  he  threw  himself  on  his  face 
behind  a  hedge  to  sleep.  But  before  long  the  Sheriff  came  with 
old  Lizzie,  and  after  they  had  looked  all  round  and  seen  no 
one,  they  went  into  an  arbor  close  by  him,  and  conversed  as 
follows  : — 

Ille.  Now  that  they  were  alone  together,  what  did  she  want 
of  him  ? 

Ilia.  She  came  to  get  the  money  for  the  witchcraft  she  had 
contrived  in  the  village. 

Ille.  Of  what  use  had  all  this  witchcraft  been  to  him  ?  My 
child,  so  far  from  being  frightened,  defied  him  more  and  more ; 
and  he  doubted  whether  he  should  ever  have  his  will  of  her. 

Ilia.  He  should  only  have  patience  ;  when  she  was  laid  upon 
the  rack  she  would  soon  learn  to  be  fond. 

Ille.  That  might  be,  but  till  then  she  (Lizzie)  should  get  no 
money. 

Ilia.  What !     Must  she  then  do  his  cattle  a  mischief  ? 

Ille.  Yes,  if  she  felt  chilly,  and  wanted  a  burning  faggot  to 
warm  her  podex,  she  had  better.  Moreover,  he  thought  that 
she  had  bewitched  him,  seeing  that  his  desire  for  the  parson's 
daughter  was  such  as  he  had  never  felt  before. 

Ilia  (laughing).  He  had  said  the  same  thing  some  thirty  years 
ago,  when  he  first  came  after  her. 


CHAP,  xx.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  101 

Ille.  Ugh !  thou  old  baggage,  don't  remind  me  of  such  things, 
but  see  to  it  that  you  get  three  witnesses,  as  I  told  you  before, 
or  else  methinks  they  will  rack  your  old  joints  for  you  after  all. 

Ilia.  She  had  the  three  witnesses  ready,  and  would  leave  the 
rest  to  him.  But  that  if  she  were  racked  she  would  reveal  all 
she  knew. 

Ille.  She  should  hold  her  ugly  tongue,  and  go  to  the  devil. 

Ilia.  So  she  would,  but  first  she  must  have  her  money. 

Ille.  She  should  have  no  money  till  he  had  had  his  will  of  my 
daughter. 

Ilia.  He  might  at  least  pay  her  for  her  little  pig  which  she 
herself  had  bewitched  to  death,  in  order  that  she  might  not  get 
into  evil  repute. 

Ille.  She  might  choose  one  when  his  pigs  were  driven  by,  and 
say  she  had  paid  for  it.  Hereupon,  said  my  Glaus,  the  pigs  were 
driven  by,  and  one  ran  into  the  garden,  the  door  being  open, 
and  as  the  swineherd  followed  it,  they  parted ;  but  the  witch 

muttered  to  herself,  "  Now  help,  devil,  help,  that  I  may" 

but  he  heard  no  further. 

The  cowardly  fellow,  however,  hid  all  this  from  me,  as  I  have 
said  above,  and  only  said,  with  tears,  that  he  knew  nothing.  I 
believed  him,  and  sat  down  at  the  window  to  see  when  Dom. 
Consul  should  return ;  and  when  I  saw  him  I  rose  and  went  to 
the  castle,  where  the  constable,  who  was  already  there  with  my 
child,  met  me  before  the  judgment-chamber.  Alas!  she  looked 
more  joyful  than  I  had  seen  her  for  a  long  time,  and  smiled  at 
me  with  her  sweet  little  mouth :  but  when  she  saw  my  snow- 
white  hair,  she  gave  a  cry,  which  made  Dom.  Consul  throw  open 
the  door  of  the  judgment-chamber,  and  say,  "  Ha,  ha !  thou 
knowest  well  what  news  I  have  brought  thee  ;  come  in,  thou 
stubborn  devil's  brat !"  Whereupon  we  stepped  into  the  chamber 
to  him,  and  he  lift  up  his  voice  and  spake  to  me,  after  he  had  sat 
down  with  the  Sheriff,  who  was  by. 

He  said  that  yestereven,  after  he  had  caused  me  to  be  carried 
like  one  dead  to  Master  Seep  his  ale-house,  and  that  my  stubborn 
child  had  been  brought  to  life  again,  he  had  once  more  adjured 
her,  to  the  utmost  of  his  power,  no  longer  to  lie  before  the  face 
of  the  living  God,  but  to  confess  the  truth ;  whereupon  she  had 


102  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  *x. 

borne  herself  very  unruly,  and  had  wrung  her  hands  and  wept 
and  sobbed,  and  at  last  answered  that  the  young  nobilis  never 
could  have  said  such  things,  but  that  his  father  must  have  writ- 
ten them,  who  hated  her,  as  she  had  plainly  seen  when  the 
Swedish  king  was  at  Coserow.  That  he,  Dom.  Consul,  had  in- 
deed doubted  the  truth  of  this  at  the  time,  but  as  a  just  judge 
had  gone  that  morning  right  early  with  the  scriba  to  Mellenthin, 
to  question  the  young  lord  himself. 

That  I  might  now  see  myself  what  horrible  malice  was  in  my 
daughter.  For  that  the  old  knight  had  led  him  to  his  son's  bed- 
side, who  still  lay  sick  from  vexation,  and  that  he  had  confirmed 
all  his  father  had  written,  and  had  cursed  the  scandalous  she- 
devil  (as  he  called  my  daughter)  for  seeking  to  rob  him  of  his 
knightly  honor.  "  What  sayest  thou  now  ?"  he  continued  ; 
"  wilt  thou  still  deny  thy  great  wickedness  ?  See  here  the  pro- 
tocollum  which  the  young  lord  hath  signed  manu  proprid  /"  But 
the  wretched  maid  had  meanwhile  fallen  on  the  ground  again, 
and  the  constable  had  no  sooner  seen  this  than  he  ran  into  the 
kitchen,  and  came  back  with  a  burning  brimstone  match,  which 
he  was  about  to  hold  under  her  nose. 

But  I  hindered  him,  and  sprinkled  her  face  with  water,  so 
that  she  opened  her  eyes,  and  raised  herself  up  by  a  table. 
She  then  stood  awhile,  without  saying  a  word  or  regarding  my 
sorrow.  At  last  she  smiled  sadly,  and  spoke  thus  :  That  she 
clearly  saw  how  true  was  that  spoken  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
"Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man;"*  and  that  the  faith- 
lessness of  the  young  lord  had  surely  broken  her  poor  heart  if 
the  all-merciful  God  had  not  graciously  prevented  him,  and 
sent  her  a  dream  that  night,  which  she  would  tell,  not  hoping 
to  persuade  the  judges,  but  to  raise  up  the  white  head  of  her 
poor  father. 

"After  I  had  sat  and  watched  all  the  night,"  quoth  she, 
"  towards  morning  I  heard  a  nightingale  sing  in  the  castle- 
garden  so  sweetly  that  my  eyes  closed,  and  I  slept.  Then 
methought  I  was  a  lamb,  grazing  quietly  in  my  meadow  at 
Coserow.  Suddenly  the  Sheriff  jumped  over  the  hedge,  and 

*  Jer.  xvii.,  5. 


CHAP,  xx.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  103 

turned  into  a  wolf,  who  seized  me  in  his  jaws  and  ran  with  me 
towards  the  Streckelberg,  where  he  had  his  lair.  I,  poor  little 
lamb,  trembled  and  bleated  in  vain,  and  saw  death  before  my 
eyes,  when  he  laid  me  down  before  his  lair,  where  lay  the  she- 
wolf  and  her  young.  But  behold  a  hand,  like  the  hand  of  a 
man,  straightway  came  out  of  the  bushes,  and  touched  the 
wolves,  each  one  with  one  finger,  and  crushed  them  so  that  naught 
was  left  of  them  save  a  grey  powder.  Hereupon  the  hand  took 
me  up,  and  carried  me  back  to  my  meadow." 

Only  think,  beloved  reader,  how  I  felt  when  I  heard  all  this, 
and  about  the  dear  nightingale  too,  which  no  one  can  doubt  to 
have  been  the  servant  of  God.  I  clasped  my  child  with  many 
tears,  and  told  her  what  had  happened  to  me,  and  we  both  won 
such  courage  and  confidence  as  we  had  never  yet  felt,  to  the 
wonderment  of  Dom.  Consul,  as  it  seemed  ;  but  the  Sheriff 
turned  as  pale  as  a  sheet  when  she  stepped  towards  their  wor- 
ships and  said,  "  And  now  do  with  me  as  you  will,  the  lamb 
fears  not,  for  she  is  in  the  hands  of  the  good  shepherd  !"  Mean- 
while Dom.  Camerarius  came  in  with  the  scriba,  but  was  ter- 
rified as  he  chanced  to  touch  my  daughter's  apron  with  the 
skirts  of  his  coat ;  and  stood  and  scraped  at  his  coat  as  a  woman 
scrapes  a  fish.  At  last,  after  he  had  spat  out  thrice,  he  asked 
the  court  whether  it  would  not  begin  to  examine  witnesses, 
seeing  that  all  the  people  had  been  waiting  some  time  both  in  the 
castle  and  at  the  ale-house.  Hereunto  they  agreed,  and  the 
constable  was  ordered  to  guard  my  child  in  his  room,  until  it 
should  please  the  court  to  summon  her.  I  therefore  went  with 
her,  but  we  had  to  endure  much  from  the  impudent  rogue,  see- 
ing he  was  not  ashamed  to  lay  his  arm  round  my  child  her 
shoulders,  and  to  ask  for  a  kiss  in  med  presentid.  But,  before  I 
could  get  out  a  word,  she  tore  herself  from  him,  and  said,  "  Ah, 
thou  wicked  knave,  must  I  complain  of  thee  to  the  court ;  hast 
thou  forgotten  what  thou  hast  already  done  to  me  ?"  To  which 
he  answered,  laughing,  "  See,  see  !  how  coy  ;"  and  still  sought 
to  persuade  her  to  be  more  willing,  and  not  to  forget  her  own 
interest ;  for  that  he  meant  as  well  by  her  as  his  master  ;  she 
might  believe  it  or  not ;  with  many  other  scandalous  words 
besides  which  I  have  forgot ;  for  I  took  my  child  upon  my  knees 
and  laid  my  head  on  her  neck,  and  we  sat  and  wept. 


104  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxi. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
De  confront atione  testium. 

WHEN  we  were  summoned  before  the  court  again,  the  whole 
court  was  full  of  people,  and  some  shuddered  when  they  saw 
us,  but  others  wept ;  my  child  told  the  same  tale  as  before. 
But  when  our  old  Use  was  called,  who  sat  on  a  bench  behind, 
so  that  we  had  not  seen  her,  the  strength  wherewith  the  Lord 
had  gifted  her  was  again  at  an  end,  and  she  repeated  the  words 
of  our  Saviour,  "  He  that  eateth  bread  with  me  hath  lift  up  his 
heel  against  me :"  and  she  held  fast  by  my  chair.  Old  Use, 
too,  could  not  walk  straight  for  very  grief,  nor  could  she  speak  for 
tears,  but  she  twisted  and  wound  herself  about  before  the  court, 
like  a  woman  in  travail.  But  when  Dom.  Consul  threatened 
that  the  constable  should  presently  help  her  to  her  words,  she 
testified  that  my  child  had  very  often  got  up  in  the  night,  and 
called  aloud  upon  the  foul  fiend. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  ever  heard  Satan  answer  her  ? — E.  She 
never  had  heard  him  at  all. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  perceived  that  Rca  had  a  familiar  spirit, 
and  in  what  shape  ?  She  should  think  upon  her  oath,  and  speak 
the  truth. — R.  She  had  never  seen  one. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  ever  heard  her  fly  up  the  chimney  ? — 
R.  Nay,  she  had  always  gone  softly  out  at  the  door. 

Q.  Whether  she  never  at  mornings  had  missed  her  broom  or 
pitchfork  ? — R.  Once  the  broom  was  gone,  but  she  had  found  it 
again  behind  the  stove,  and  may  be  left  it  there  herself  by  mis- 
take. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  never  heard  Rea  cast  a  spell,  or  wish 
harm  to  this  or  that  person  ? — R.  No,  never  ;  she  had  always 
wished  her  neighbors  nothing  but  good,  and  even  in  the  time  of 
bitter  famine  had  taken  the  bread  out  of  her  own  mouth  to  give 
it  to  others.  * 


CHAP,  xxi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  105 

Q.  Whether  she  did  not  know  the  salve  which  had  been 
found  in  Rea  her  coffer  ? — R.  Oh,  yes  !  her  young  mistress  had 
brought  it  back  from  Wolgast  for  her  skin,  and  had  once  given 
her  some  when  she  had  chapped  hands,  and  it  had  done  her  a 
vast  deal  of  good. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  anything  further  to  say? — R.  No, 
nothing  but  good. 

Hereupon  my  man  Glaus  Neels  was  called  up.  He  also 
came  forward  in  tears,  but  answered  every  question  with  a 
"  nay,"  and  at  last  testified  that  he  had  never  seen  nor  heard 
anything  bad  of  my  child,  and  knew  naught  of  her  doings  by 
night,  seeing  that  he  slept  in  the  stable  with  the  horses ;  and 
that  he  firmly  believed  that  evil  folks — and  here  he  looked  at 
old  Lizzie — had  brought  this  misfortune  upon  her,  and  that  she 
was  quite  innocent. 

When  it  came  to  the  turn  of  this  old  limb  of  Satan,  who  was 
to  be  the  chief  witness,  my  child  again  declared  that  she  would 
not  accept  old  Lizzie's  testimony  against  her,  and  called  upon 
the  court  for  justice,  for  that  she  had  hated  her  from  her  youth 
up,  and  had  been  longer  by  habit  and  repute  a  witch  than  she 
herself. 

But  the  old  hag  cried  out,  "  God  forgive  thee  thy  sins ;  the 
whole  village  knows  that  I  am  a  devout  woman,  and  one  serv- 
ing the  Lord  in  all  things  ;"  whereupon  she  called  up  old  Zuter 
Witthahn  and  my  churchwarden  Glaus  Bulk,  who  bore  wit- 
ness hereto.  But  old  Paasch  stood  and  shook  his  head  ;  never- 
theless when  my  child  said,  "Paasch,  wherefore  dost  thou 
shake  thy  head  ?"  he  started,  and  answered,  "  Oh,  nothing  !" 

Howbeit,  Dom.  Consul  likewise  perceived  this,  and  asked  him, 
whether  he  had  any  charge  to  bring  against  old  Lizzie  ;  if  so, 
he  should  give  glory  to  God,  and  state  the  same ;  item,  it  was 
competent  to  every  one  so  to  do ;  indeed  the  court  required  of 
him  to  speak  out  all  he  knew. 

But  from  fear  of  the  old  dragon,  all  were  still  as  mice,  so 
that  you  might  have  heard  the  flies  buzz  about  the  inkstand.  I 
then  stood  up,  wretched  as  I  was,  and  stretched  out  my  arms 
over  my  amazed  and  faint-hearted  people,  and  spake  :  "  Can  ye 
thus  crucify  me  together  with  my  poor  child  ?  have  I  deserved 


106  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxi. 

this  at  your  hands  ?  Speak,  then  ;  alas,  will  none  speak  ?"  I 
heard,  indeed,  how  several  wept  aloud,  but  not  one  spake  ;  and 
hereupon  my  poor  child  was  forced  to  submit. 

And  the  malice  of  the  old  hag  was  such  that  she  not  only 
accused  my  child  of  the  most  horrible  witchcraft,  but  also  reck- 
oned to  a  day  when  she  had  given  herself  up  to  Satan  to  rob 
her  of  her  maiden  honor ;  and  she  said  that  Satan  had,  with- 
out doubt,  then  defiled  her,  when  she  could  no  longer  heal  the 
cattle,  and  when  they  all  died.  Hereupon  my  child  said  naught, 
save  that  she  cast  down  her  eyes  and  blushed  deep  for  shame  at 
such  filthiness  ;  and  to  .the  other  blasphemous  slander  which  the 
old  hag  uttered  with  many  tears,  namely,  that  my  daughter  had 
given  up  her  (Lizzie's)  husband,  body  and  soul,  to  Satan,  she 
answered  as  she  had  done  before.  But  when  the  old  hag  came 
to  her  re-baptism  in  the  sea,  and  gave  out  that  while  seeking 
for  strawberries  in  the  coppice  she  had  recognized  my  child's 
voice,  and  stolen  towards  her,  and  perceived  these  devil's  do- 
ings, my  child  fell  in  smiling,  and  answered,  "  Oh,  thou  evil 
woman  !  how  couldst  thou  hear  my  voice  speaking  down  by  the 
sea,  being  thyself  in  the  forest  upon  the  mountain  ?  surely  thou 
liest,  seeing  that  the  murmur  of  the  waves  would  make  that 
impossible."  This  angered  the  old  dragon,  and  seeking  to  get 
out  of  the  blunder  she  fell  deeper  into  it,  for  she  said,  "  I  saw 
thee  move  thy  lips,  and  from  that  I  knew  that  thou  didst  call 
upon  thy  paramour  the  devil !"  for  my  child  straightway  re- 
plied, "  Oh,  thou  ungodly  woman  !  thou  saidst  thou  wert  in  the 
forest  when  thou  didst  hear  my  voice  :  how  then  up  in  the  forest 
couldst  thou  see  whether  I,  who  was  below  by  the  water,  moved 

my  lips  or  not  ?" 

Such  contradictions  amazed  even  Dom.  Consul,  and  he  began 
to  threaten  the  old  hag  with  the  rack  if  she  told  such  lies ; 
whereupon  she  answered  and  said,  "'List,  then,  whither  I  lie ! 
When  she  went  naked  into  the  water  she  had  no  mark  on  her 
body,  but  when  she  came  out  again  I  saw  that  she  had  between 
her  breasts  a  mark  the  size  of  a  silver  penny,  whence  I  per- 
ceived that  the  devil  had  given  it  her,  although  I  had  not  seen 
him  about  her,  nor,  indeed,  had  I  seen  any  one,  either  spirit  or 
child  of  man,  for  she  seemed  to  be  quite  alone." 


CHAP,  xxi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  107 

Hereupon  the  Sheriff  jumped  up  from  his  seat,  and  cried, 
"  Search  must  straightway  be  made  for  this  mark  ;"  whereupon 
Dom.  Consul  answered,  "  Yea,  but  not  by  us,  but  by  two  women 
of  good  repute,"  for  he  would  not  hearken  to  what  my  child 
said,  that  it  was  a  mole,  and  that  she  had  had  it  from  her  youth 
up,  wherefore  the  constable  his  wife  was  sent  for,  and  Dom.  Con- 
sul muttered  somewhat  into  her  ear,  and  as  prayers  and  tears 
were  of  no  avail,  my  child  was  forced  to  go  with  her.  How- 
beit  she  obtained  this  favor,  that  old  Lizzie  Kolken  was  not  to 
follow  her,  as  she  would  have  done,  but  our  old  maid  Use.  I, 
too,  went  in  my  sorrow,  seeing  that  I  knew  not  what  the  women 
might  do  to  her.  She  wept  bitterly  as  they  undressed  her,  and 
held  her  hands  over  her  eyes  for  very  shame. 

Well-a-day,  her  body  was  just  as  white  as  my  departed 
wife's  ;  although  in  her  childhood,  as  I  remember,  she  was  very 
yellow,  and  I  saw  with  amazement  the  mole  between  her  breasts, 
whereof  I  had  never  heard  aught  before.  But  she  suddenly 
screamed  violently  and  started  back,  seeing  that  the  constable 
his  wife,  when  nobody  watched  her,  had  run  a  needle  into  the 
mole,  so  deep  that  the  red  blood  ran  down  over  her  breasts.  I 
was  sorely  angered  thereat,  but  the  woman  said  that  she  had 
done  it  by  order  of  the  judge,*  which,  indeed,  was  true  ;  for 
when  we  came  back  into  court,  and  the  Sheriff  asked  how  it 
was,  she  testified  that  there  was  a  mark  of  the  size  of  a  silver 
penny,  of  a  yellowish  color,  but  that  it  had  feeling,  seeing  that 
Rea  had  screamed  aloud,  when  she  had,  unperceived,  driven  a 
needle  therein.  Meanwhile,  however,  Dom.  Camerarius  sud- 
denly rose,  and  stepping  up  to  my  child,  drew  her  eyelids  asun- 
der, and  cried  out,  beginning  to  tremble,  "  Behold  the  sign 
which  never  fails  :"f  whereupon  the  whole  court  started  to  their 
feet,  and  looked  at  the  little  spot  under  her  right  eyelid  which 
in  truth  had  been  left  there  by  a  stye,  but  this  none  would  be- 
lieve. Dom.  Consul  now  said,  "  See,  Satan  hath  marked  thee 

*  It  was  believed  that  these  marks  were  the  infallible  sign  of  a  witch 
when  they  were  insensible,  and  that  they  were  given  by  the  devil ;  and 
every  one  suspected  of  witchcraft  was  invariably  searched  for  them. 

t  See,  among  other  authorities,  "  Delrio,  Disquisit.  magicae,"  lib.  v.  tit. 
xiv.,  No.  28. 


108  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xn. 

on  body  and  soul !  and  thou  dost  still  continue  to  lie  unto  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  but  it  shall  not  avail  thee,  and  thy  punishment 
will  only  be  the  heavier.  Oh,  thou  shameless  woman  !  thou 
hast  refused  to  accept  the  testimony  of  old  Lizzie  !  wilt  thou 
also  refuse  that  of  these  people,  who  have  all  heard  thee  on  the 
mountain  call  upon  the  devil  thy  paramour,  and  seen  him  ap- 
pear in  the  likeness  of  a  hairy  giant,  and  kiss  and  caress  thee  ?" 

Hereupon  old  Paasch,  goodwife  Witthahn,  and  Zuter,  came 
forward  and  bare  witness,  that  they  had  seen  this  happen  about 
midnight,  and  that  on  this  declaration  they  would  live  and  die ; 
that  old  Lizzie  had  awakened  them  one  Saturday  night  about 
eleven  o'clock,  had  given  them  a  can  of  beer,  and  persuaded 
them  to  follow  the  parson's  daughter  privately,  and  to  see  what 
she  did  upon  the  mountain.  At  first  they  refused  ;  but  in  order 
to  get  at  the  truth  about  the  witchcraft  in  the  village,  they  had 
at  last,  after  a  devout  prayer,  consented,  and  had  followed  her 
in  God's  name. 

They  had  soon  through  the  bushes  seen  the  witch  in  the 
moonshine ;  she  seemed  to  dig,  and  spake  in  some  strange 
tongue  the  while,  whereupon  the  grim  arch-fiend  suddenly  ap- 
peared, and  fell  upon  her  neck.  Hereupon  they  ran  away  in 
consternation,  but,  by  the  help  of  the  Almighty  God,  on  whom 
from  the  very  first  they  had  set  their  faith,  they  were  preserv- 
ed from  the  power  of  the  Evil  One.  For,  notwithstanding  he 
had  turned  round  on  hearing  a  rustling  in  the  bushes,  he  had 
had  no  power  to  harm  them. 

Finally,  it  was  even  charged  to  my  child  as  a  crime,  that  she 
had  fainted  on  the  road  from  Coserow  to  Pudgla,  and  none  would 
believe  that  this  had  been  caused  by  vexation  at  old  Lizzie  her 
singing,  and  not  from  a  bad  conscience,  as  stated  by  the  judge. 

When  all  the  witnesses  had  been  examined,  Dom.  Consul 
asked  her  whether  she  had  brewed  the  storm,  what  was  the 
meaning  of  the  frog  that  had  dropped  into  her  lap,  item,  the 
hedgehog  which  lay  directly  in  his  path  ?  To  all  of  which  she 
answered,  that  she  had  caused  the  one  as  little  as  she  knew  of 
the  other.  Whereupon  Dom.  Consul  shook  his  head,  and  asked 
her,  last  of  all,  whether  she  would  have  an  advocate,  or  trust 
entirely  in  the  good  judgment  of  the  court.  To  this  she  gave 


CHAP,  xxi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  109 

answer,  that  she  would  by  all  means  have  an  advocate.  Where- 
fore I  sent  my  ploughman,  Glaus  Neels,  the  next  day  to  Wol- 
gast  to  fetch  the  Syndicus  Michelsen,  who  is  a  worthy  man,  and 
in  whose  house  I  have  been  many  times  when  I  went  to  the 
town,  seeing  that  he  courteously  invited  me. 

I  must  also  note  here  that  at  this  time  my  old  Use  came  back 
to  live  with  me  ;  for  after  the  witnesses  were  gone  she  stayed 
behind  in  the  chamber,  and  came  boldly  up  to  me,  and  besought 
me  to  suffer  her  once  more  to  serve  her  old  master  and  her  dear 
young  mistress  ;  for  that  now  she  had  saved  her  poor  soul,  and 
confessed  all  she  knew.  Wherefore  she  could  no  longer  bear  to 
see  her  old  masters  in  such  woful  plight,  without  so  much  as  a 
mouthful  of  victuals,  seeing  that  she  had  heard  that  old  wife 
Seep,  who  had  till  datum  prepared  the  food  for  me  and  my  child, 
often  let  the  porridge  burn ;  item,  over-salted  the  fish  and  the 
meat.  Moreover,  that  I  was  so  weakened  by  age  and  misery, 
that  I  needed  help  and  support,  which  she  would  faithfully  give 
me,  and  was  ready  to  sleep  in  the  stable,  if  needs  must  be  ;  that 
she  wanted  no  wages  for  it,  I  was  only  not  to  turn  her  away. 
Such  kindness  made  my  daughter  to  weep,  and  she  said  to  me, 
"  Behold,  father,  the  good  folks  come  back  to  us  again  ;  think 
you,  then,  that  the  good  angels  will  forsake  us  for  ever  ?  I  thank 
thee,  old  Use  ;  thou  shalt  indeed  prepare  my  food  for  me,  and 
always  bring  it  as  far  as  the  prison-door,  if  thou  mayest  come 
no  further ;  and  mark,  then,  I  pray  thee,  what  the  constable 
does  therewith."  . 

This  the  maid  promised  to  do,  and  from  this  time  forth  took 
up  her  abode  in  the  stable.  May  God  repay  her  at  the  day  of 
judgment  for  what  she  then  did  for  me  and  for  my  poor  child ! 


110  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxn 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

How  the  Syndicus  Dom.  Michelsen  arrived,  and  prepared  his  defence  of 
my  poor  child. 

THE  next  day  at  about  three  o'clock  p.  M.,  Dom.  Syndicus  came 
driving  up,  and  got  out  of  his  coach  at  my  inn.  He  had  a  huge 
bag  full  of  books  with  him,  but  was  not  so  friendly  in  his  manner 
as  was  usual  with  him,  but  very  grave  and  silent.  And  after  he 
had  saluted  me  in  my  own  room,  and  had  asked  how  it  was  pos- 
sible for  my  child  to  have  come  to  such  misfortune,  I  related  to 
him  the  whole  affair,  whereat,  however,  he  only  shook  his  head. 
On  my  asking  him  whether  he  would  not  see  my  child  that  same 
day,  he  answered  "  Nay  ;"  he  would  rather  first  study  the  acta. 
And  after  he  had  eaten  of  some  wild  duck  which  my  old  Use 
had  roasted  for  him,  he  would  tarry  no  longer,  but  straightway 
went  up  to  the  castle,  whence  he  did  not  return  till  the  following 
afternoon.  His  manner  was  not  more  friendly  now  than  at  his 
first  coming,  and  I  followed  him  with  sighs  when  he  asked  me  to 
lead  him  to  my  daughter.  As  we  went  in  with  the  constable, 
and  I,  for  the  first  time,  saw  my  child  in  chains  before  me — she 
who  in  her  whole  life  had  never  hurt  a  worm — I  again  felt  as 
though  I  should  die  for  very  grief.  But  she  smiled  and  cried 
out  to  Dom.  Syndicus,  "Are  you  indeed  the  good  angel  who  will 
cause  my  chains  to  fall  from  my  hands,  as  was  done  of  yore  to 
St.  Peter  ?"*  To  which  he  replied,  with  a  sigh,  "  May  the  Al- 
mighty God  grant  it ;"  and  as,  save  the  chair  whereon  my  child 
sat  against  the  wall,  there  was  none  other  in  the  dungeon  (which 
was  a  filthy  and  stinking  hole,  wherein  were  more  woodlice  than 
ever  I  saw  in  my  life),  Dom.  Syndicus  and  I  sat  down  on  her  bed, 
which  had  been  left  for  her  at  my  prayer ;  and  he  ordered  the 
constable  to  go  his  ways,  until  he  should  call  him  back.  Here- 
upon he  asked  my  child  what  she  had  to  say  in  her  justification  ; 

*  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  xii.,  7. 


CHAP,  xxii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  Ill 

and  she  had  not  gone  far  in  her  defence  when  I  perceived  from 
the  shadow  at  the  door,  that  some  one  must  be  standing  without. 
I  therefore  went  quickly  to  the  door,  which  was  half  open,  and 
found  the  impudent  constable,  who  stood  there  to  listen.  This 
so  angered  Dom.  Syndicus  that  he  snatched  up  his  staff  in  order 
to  hasten  his  going,  but  the  arch- rogue  took  to  his  heels  as  soon 
as  he  saw  this.  My  child  took  this  opportunity  to  tell  her  wor- 
shipful defensor  what  she  had  suffered  from  the  impudence  of 
this  fellow,  and  to  beg  that  some  other  constable  might  be  set 
over  her,  seeing  that  this  one  had  come  to  her  last  night  again 
with  evil  designs,  so  that  she  at  last  had  shrieked  aloud  and 
beaten  him  on  the  head  with  her  chains ;  whereupon  he  had  left 
her.  This  Dom.  Syndicus  promised  to  obtain  for  her  ;  but  with 
regard  to  the  defensio,  wherewith  she  now  went  on,  he  thought 
it  would  be  better  to  make"  no  further  mention  of  the  impetus 
which  the  Sheriff  had  made  on  her  chastity.  "  For,"  said  he, 
"  as  the  princely  central  court  at  Wolgast  has  to  give  sentence 
upon  thee,  this  statement  would  do  thee  far  more  harm  than  good, 
seeing  that  the  prases  thereof  is  a  cousin  of  the  Sheriff,  and  oft- 
times  goes  a  hunting  with  him.  Besides,  thou  being  charged 
with  a  capital  crime  hast  no  fides,  especially  as  thou  canst  bring 
no  witnesses  against  him.  Thou  couldst,  therefore,  gain  no  be- 
lief even  if  thou  didst  confirm  the  charge  on  the  rack,  where- 
from,  moreover,  I  am  come  hither  to  save  thee  by  my  defensio." 
These  reasons  seemed  sufficient  to  us  both,  and  we  resolved 
to  leave  vengeance  to  Almighty  God,  who  seeth  in  secret,  and  to 
complain  of  our  wrongs  to  him,  as  we  might  not  complain  to 
men.  But  all  my  daughter  said  about  old  Lizzie — item,  of  the 
good  report  wherein  she  herself  had,  till  now,  stood  with  every- 
body— he  said  he  would  write  down,  and  add  thereunto  as  much 
and  as  well  of  his  own  as  he  was  able,  so  as,  by  the  help  of 
the  Almighty  God,  to  save  her  from  the  torture.  That  she  was 
to  make  herself  easy  and  commend  herself  to  God  ;  within  two 
days  he  hoped  to  have  his  defensio  ready  and  to  read  it  to  her. 
And  now,  when  he  called  the  constable  back  again,  the  fellow 
did  not  come,  but  sent  his  wife  to  lock  the  prison,  and  I  took 
leave  of  my  child  with  many  tears :  Dom.  Syndicus  told  the 
woman  the  while  what  her  impudent  rogue  of  a  husband  had 


112  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxn. 

done,  that  she  might  let  him  hear  more  of  it.  Then  he  sent  the 
woman  away  again  and  came  back  to  my  daughter,  saying  that 
he  had  forgotten  to  ascertain  whether  she  really  knew  the  Latin 
tongue,  and  that  she  was  to  say  her  defensio  over  again  in  Latin, 
if  she  was  able.  Hereupon  she  began  and  went  on  therewith 
for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  or  more,  in  such  wise  that  not  only 
Dom.  Syndicus,  but  I  myself  also  was  amazed,  seeing  that  she 
did  not  stop  for  a  single  word,  save  the  word  "  hedgehog," 
which  we  both  had  forgotten  at  the  moment  when  she  asked  us 
what  it  was. — Summa.  Dom.  Syndicus  grew  far  more  gracious 
when  she  had  finished  her  oration,  and  took  leave  of  her,  promis- 
ing that  he  would  set  to  work  forthwith. 

After  this  I  did  not  see  him  again  till  the  morning  of  the  third 
day  at  ten  o'clock,  seeing  that  he  sat  at  work  in  a  room  at  the 
castle,  which  the  Sheriff  had  given  him,  and  also  ate  there,  as 
he  sent  me  word  by  old  Use  when  she  carried  him  his  breakfast 
next  day. 

At  the  above-named  time  he  sent  the  new  constable  for  me, 
who,  meanwhile,  had  been  fetched  from  Uzdom  at  his  desire. 
For  the  Sheriff  was  exceeding  wrath  when  he  heard  that  the 
impudent  fellow  had  attempted  my  child  in  the  prison,  and  cried 
out  in  a  rage,  "  S'death  and  'ouns,  I'll  mend  thy  coaxing  !" 
Whereupon  he  gave  him  a  sound  threshing  with  a  dog-whip  he 
held  in  his  hand,  to  make  sure  that  she  should  be  at  peace  from 
him. 

But,  alas  !  the  new  constable  was  even  worse  than  the  old,  as 
will  be  shown  hereafter.  His  name  was  Master  Koppner,  and 
he  was  a  tall  fellow  with  a  grim  face,  and  a  mouth  so  wide  that 
at  every  word  he  said  the  spittle  ran  out  at  the  corners,  and 
stuck  in  his  long  beard  like  soapsuds,  so  that  my  child  had  an 
especial  fear  and  loathing  of  him.  Moreover,  on  all  occasions 
he  seemed  to  laugh  in  mockery  and  scorn,  as  he  did  when  he 
opened  the  prison-door  to  us,  and  saw  my  poor  child  sitting 
in  her  grief  and  distress.  But  he  straightway  left  us  without 
waiting  to  be  told,  whereupon  Dom.  Syndicus  drew  his  defence 
out  of  his  pocket,  and  read  it  to  us ;  we  have  remembered  the 
main  points  thereof,  and  I  will  recount  them  here,  but  most  of 
the  auctores  we  have  forgotten. 


CHAP,  xxii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  113 

1.  He  began  by  saying  that  my  daughter  had  ever  till  now 
stood  in  good  repute,  as  not  only  the  whole  village,  but  even  my 
servants,  bore  witness  ;  ergo,  she  could  not  be  a  witch,  inasmuch 
as  the  Saviour  hath  said,  "  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil 
fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit "  (Matt. 
vii.). 

2.  With  regard  to  the  witchcraft  in  the  village,  that  belike 
was  the  contrivance  of  old  Lizzie,  seeing  that  she  bore  a  great 
hatred  towards  Rea,  and  had  long  been  in  evil  repute,  for  that 
the  parishioners  dared  not  to  speak  out,  only  from  fear  of  the  old 
witch ;  wherefore  Zuter  her  little  girl  must  be  examined,  who 
had  heard  old  Lizzie  her  goodman  tell  her  she  had  a  familiar 
spirit,  and  that  he  would  tell  it  to  the  parson ;  for  that  notwith- 
standing the  above-named  was  but  a  child,  still  it  was  written  in 
Ps.  viii.,  "  Out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  hast  thou 
ordained  strength     .     .     . ;"  and  the  Saviour  himself  appealed 
(Matt,  xxi.)  to  the  testimony  of  little  children. 

3.  Furthermore,  old  Lizzie  might  have  bewitched  the  crops, 
item,  the  fruit-trees,  inasmuch  as  none  could  believe  that  Rea, 
who  had   ever   shown   herself   a   dutiful    child,    would    have 
bewitched  her  own  father's  corn,  or  made  caterpillars  come  on 
his  trees ;  for  no  one,  according  to  Scripture,  can  serve  two 
masters. 

Item,  she  (old  Lizzie)  might  very  well  have  been  the  wood- 
pecker that  was  seen  by  Rea  and  old  Paasch  on  the  Streckel- 
berg,  and  herself  have  given  over  her  goodman  to  the  Evil  One 
for  fear  of  the  parson,  inasmuch  as  Spitzel  De  Expugnatione 
Orel  asserts  ;  item,  the  Malleus  Maleficarum*  proves  beyond 
doubt,  that  the  wicked  children  of  Satan  oft-times  change  them- 
selves into  all  manner  of  beasts,  as  the  foul  fiend  himself  like- 
wise seduced  our  first  parents  in  the  shape  of  a  serpent 
(Gen.  iii.). 

5.  That  old  Lizzie  had  most  likely  made  the  wild  weather 
when  Dom.  Consul  was  coming  home  with  Rea  from  the  Streck- 

*  The  celebrated  "  Hammer  for  Witches"  of  Innocent  VIII.,  which 
appeared  in  1489,  and  gave  directions  for  the  whole  course  of  proceeding  to 
be  observed  at  trials  for  witchcraft. 

9 


114  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  XXH. 

elberg,  seeing  it  was  impossible  that  Rea  could  have  done  it,  as 
she  was  sitting  in  the  coach,  whereas  witches  when  they  raise 
storms  always  stand  in  the  water,  and  throw  it  over  their  heads 
backwards  ;  item,  beat  the  stones  soundly  with  a  stick,  as  Han- 
nold  relates.  Wherefore  she  too,  may  be,  knew  best  about  the 
frog  and  the  hedgehog. 

6.  That  Rea  was  erroneously  charged  with  that  as  a  crimen 
which  ought  rather  to  serve  as  her  justification,  namely,  her 
sudden  riches.     For  the  Malleus  Malefaarum  expressly  says 
that  a  witch  can  never  grow  rich,  seeing  that  Satan,  to  do  dis- 
honor to  God,  always  buys  them  for  a  vile  price,  so  that  they 
should  not  betray  themselves  by  their  riches.*     Wherefore  that 
as  Rea  had  grown  rich,  she  could  not  have  got  her  wealth  from 
the  foul  fiend,  but  it  must  be  true  that  she  had  found  amber  on 
the  mountain  ;  that  the  spells  of  old  Lizzie  might  have  been  the 
cause  why  they  could  not  find  the  vein  of  amber  again,  or  that 
the  sea  might  have  washed  away  the  cliff  below,  as  often  hap- 
pens, whereupon  the  top  had  slipped  down,  so  that  only  a  mira- 
culum  naturale  had  taken  place.     The  proof  which  he  brought 
forward  from  Scripture  we  have  quite  forgotten,  seeing  it  was 
but  middling. 

7.  With  regard  to  her  re-baptism,  the  old  hag  had  said  her- 
self that  she  had  not  seen  the  devil  or  any  other  spirit  or  man 
about  Rea,  wherefore  she  might  in  truth  have  been  only  natu- 
rally bathing,  in  order  to  greet  the  King  of  Sweden  next  day, 
seeing  that  the  weather  was  hot,  and  that  bathing  was  not  of 
itself  sufficient  to  impair  the  modesty  of  a  maiden.     For  that 
she  had  as  little  thought  any  would  see  her  as  Bethsheba  the 
daughter  of  Eliam,  and  wife  of  Uriah  the  Hittite,  who  in  like 
manner  did  bathe  herself,  as  is  written  (2  Sam.  xi.,  2),  without 
knowing  that  David  could  see  her.     Neither  could  her  mark  be 
a  mark  given  by  Satan,  inasmuch  as  there  was  feeling  therein  ; 
ergo,  it  must  be  a  natural  mole,  and  it  was  a  lie  that  she  had  it 

*  The  original  words  of  the  "  Hammer  for  Witches,"  torn,  i.,  quest.  18,  in 
answer  to  the  question,  Cur  maleficce  non  ditentur  1  are,  Ut  juxta  com- 
placentiam  deemonis  in  contumeliam  Creatoris,  quantum possibile  est,pro 
vilissimo  pretio,  emantur,  et  secundo,  ne  in  divitis  notentur. 


CHAP,  xxn;]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  115 

not  before  bathing.  Moreover,  that  on  this  point  the  old  harlot 
was  nowise  to  be  believed,  seeing  that  she  had  fallen  from  one 
contradiction  into  another  about  it,  as  stated  in  the  Acta. 

8.  Neither  was  it  just  to  accuse  Rea  of  having  bewitched 
Paasch  his  little  daughter  ;  for  as  old  Lizzie  was  going  in  and 
out  of  the  room,  nay,  even  sat  herself  down  on  the  little  girl 
her  belly  when  the  pastor  went  to  see  her,  it  most  likely  was 
that  wicked  woman  (wh©  was  known  to  have   a  great   spite 
against  Rea)  that  contrived  the  spell  through  the  power  of  the 
foul  fiend,  and  by  permission  of  the  all-just  God  ;  for  that  Satan 
was  "  a  liar  and  the  father  of  it,"  as  our  Lord  Christ  says  (John 
viii.). 

9.  With  regard  to  the  appearance  of  the  foul  fiend  on  the 
mountain  in  the  shape  of  a  hairy  giant,  that  indeed  was  the 
heaviest  gravamen,  inasmuch  as  not  only  old  Lizzie,  but  like- 
wise three  trustworthy  witnesses,  had  seen  him.     But  who  could 
tell  whether  it  was  not  old  Lizzie  herself  who  had  contrived  this 
devilish  apparition  in  order  to  ruin  her  enemy  altogether ;  for 
that  notwithstanding  the  apparition  was  not  the  young  nobleman, 
as  Rea  had  declared  it  to  be,  it  still  was  very  likely  that  she  had 
not  lied,  but  had  mistaken  Satan  for  the  young  lord,  as  he  ap- 
peared in  his  shape  ;  exe.mplum,  for  this  was  to  be  found  even  in 
Scripture  :  for  that  all  Theologi  of  the  whole  Protestant  Church 
were  agreed,  that  the  vision  which  the  witch  of  Endor  showed 
to  King  Saul  was  not  Samuel  himself,  but  the  arch-fiend  ;  never- 
theless, Saul  had  taken  it  for  Samuel.     In  like  manner  the  old 
harlot  might  have  conjured  up  the  devil  before  Rea,  who  did 
not  perceive  that  it  was  not  the  young  lord,  but  Satan,  who  had 
put  on  that  shape  in  order  to  seduce  her ;  for  as  Rea  was  a  fair 
woman,  none  could  wonder  that  the  devil  gave  himself  more 
trouble  for  her  than  for  an  old  withered  hag,  seeing  he  has  ever 
sought  after  fair  women  to  lie  with  them.* 

Lastly,  he  argued  that  Rea  was  in  nowise  marked  as  a  witch, 
for  that  she  neither  had  bleared  and  squinting  eyes  nor  a  hooked 
nose,  whereas  old  Lizzie  had  both,  which  Theophrastus  Para- 
celsus declares  to  be  an  unfailing  mark  of  a  witch,  saying, 

*  Gen.  vi.,  2. 


116  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxn. 

"  Nature  marketh  none  thus  unless  by  abortion,  for  these  are 
the  chiefest  signs  whereby  witches  be  known  whom  the  spirit 
Asiendens  hath  subdued  unto  himself." 

When  Dom.  Syndicus  had  read  his  defensio,  my  daughter 
was  so  rejoiced  thereat  that  she  would  have  kissed  his  hand,  but 
he  snatched  it  from  her  and  breathed  upon  it  thrice,  whereby 
we  could  easily  see  that  he  himself  was  nowise  in  earnest  with 
his  defensio.  Soon  after  he  took  leave  in  an  ill-humor,  after 
commending  her  to  the  care  of  the  Most  High,  and  begged  that 
I  would  make  my  farewell  as  short  as  might  be,  seeing  that  he 
purposed  to  return  home  that  very  day,  the  which,  alas  !  I  very 
unwillingly  did. 


CHAP  xxm.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  117 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

How  my  poor  child  was  sentenced  to  be  put  to  the  question. 

AFTER  acta  had  been  sent  to  the  honorable  the  central  court, 
about  fourteen  days  passed  over  before  any  answer  was  received. 
My  lord  the  Sheriff  was  especially  gracious  toward  me  the  while, 
and  allowed  me  to  see  my  daughter  as  often  as  I  would  (seeing 
that  the  rest  of  the  court  were  gone  home),  wherefore  I  was 
with  her  nearly  all  day.  And  when  the  constable  grew  impa- 
tient of  keeping  watch  over  me,  I  gave  him  a  fee  to  lock  me  in 
together  with  my  child.  And  the  all-merciful  God  was  gracious 
unto  us,  and  caused  us  often  and  gladly  to  pray,  for  we  had  a 
steadfast  hope,  believing  that  the  cross  we  had  seen  in  the  hea- 
vens would  now  soon  pass  away  from  us,  and  that  the  ravening 
wolf  would  receive  his  reward  'when  the  honorable  high  court 
had  read  through  the  acta,  and  should  come  to  the  excellent 
defensio  which  Dom.  Syndicus  had  constructed  for  my  child. 
Wherefore  I  began  to  be  of  good  cheer  again,  especially  when  I 
saw  my  daughter  her  cheeks  growing  of  a  right  lovely  red.  But 
on  Thursday,  25th  mensis  Augusti,  at  noon,  the  worshipful  court 
drove  into  the  castle-yard  again  as  I  sat  in  the  prison  with  my 
child,  as  I  was  wont ;  and  old  Use  brought  us  our  food,  and 
could  not  tell  us  the  news  for  weeping.  But  the  tall  constable 
peeped  in  at  the  door  grinning,  and  cried,  "  Oh,  oh  !  they  are 
come,  they  are  come;  now  the  tickling  will  begin:"  whereat 
my  poor  child  shuddered,  but  less  at  the  news  than  at  sight  of 
the  fellow  himself.  Scarce  was  he  gone  than  he  came  back 
again  to  take  off  her  chains  and  to  fetch  her  away.  So  I  fol- 
lowed her  into  the  judgment-chamber,  where  Dom.  Consul  read 
out  the  sentence  of  the  honorable  high  court  as  follows  : — that 
she  should  once  more  be  questioned  in  kindness  touching  the 
articles  contained  in  the  indictment ;  and  if  she  then  continued 


118  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxin. 

stubborn  she  should  be  subjected  to  the  peine  forte  et  dure,  for  that 
the  defensio  she  had  set  up  did  not  suffice,  and  that  there  were 
indicia  legitima,  pragnantia  et  sufficients  ad  torturam  ipsam  ; 
to  wit, — 

1.  Malafama. 

2.  Malefaium,  publice  commissum. 

3.  Apparitio  dcemonis  in  monte. 

Whereupon  the  most  honorable  central  court  cited  about  20 
auctores,  whereof,  howbeit,  we  remember  but  little.  When 
Dom.  Consul  had  read  out  this  to  my  child,  he  once  more  lift  up 
his  voice  and  admonished  her  with  many  words  to  confess  of  her 
own  free  will,  for  the  truth  must  now  come  to  light. 

Hereupon  she  steadfastly  replied,  that  after  the  defensio  of 
Dom.  Syndicus  she  had  indeed  hoped  for  a  better  sentence ;  but 
that,  as  it  was  the  will  of  God  to  try  her  yet  more  hardly,  she 
resigned  herself  altogether  into  his  gracious  hands,  and  could 
not  confess  aught  save  what  she  had  said  before,  namely,  that 
she  was  innocent,  and  that  evil  men  had  brought  this  misery 
upon  her.  Hereupon  Dom.  Consul  motioned  the  constable,  who 
straightway  opened  the  door  of  the  next  room,  and  admitted 
Pastor  Benzensis*  in  his  surplice,  who  had  been  sent  for  by  the 
court  to  admonish  her  still  better  out  of  the  word  of  God.  He 
heaved  a  deep  sigh,  and  said,  "  Mary,  Mary,  is  it  thus  I  must 
meet  thee  again  !"  Whereupon  she  began  to  weep  bitterly,  and 
to  protest  her  innocence  afresh.  But  he  heeded  not  her  distress; 
and  as  soon  as  he  had  heard  her  pray,  "  Our  Father,"  "  the 
eyes  of  all  wait  upon  thee,"  and  "  God  the  Father  dwell  with 
us,"  he  lift  up  his  voice  and  declared  to  her  the  hatred  of  the  liv- 
ing God  to  all  witches  and  warlocks,  seeing  that  not  only  is  the 
punishment  of  fire  awarded  to  them  in  the  Old  Testament,  but 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  expressly  saith  in  the  New  Testament 
(Gal.  v  ),  "  That  they  which  do  such  things  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God  ;"  but  "  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone  ;  which  is  the  second  death." 
(Apocal.  xxi.)  Wherefore  she  must  not  be  stubborn  nor  mur- 

* 

*  The  minister  at  Bentz,  a  village  situated  at  a  short  distance  from 
Pudgla. 


CHAP,  xxiii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  119 

mur  against  the  court  when  she  was  tormented,  seeing  that  it 
was  all  done  out  of  Christian  love,  and  to  save  her  poor  soul. 
That,  for  the  sake  of  God  and  her  salvation,  she  should  no 
longer  delay  repentance,  and  thereby  cause  her  body  to  be  tor- 
mented and  give  over  her  wretched  soul  to  Satan,  who  cer- 
tainly would  not  fulfil  those  promises  in  hell  which  he  had  made 
her  here  upon  earth ;  seeing  that  "  He  was  a  murderer  from 
the  beginning — a  liar  and  the  father  of  it "  (John  viii.).     "  Oh !" 
cried  he,  "  Mary,  my  child,  who  so  oft  has  sat  upon  my  knees, 
and  for  whom  I  now  cry  every  morning  and  every  night  unto 
my  God,  if  thou  wilt  have  no  pity  upon  thee  and  me,  have  pity 
at  least  upon  thy  worthy  father,  whom  I  cannot  look  upon  with- 
out tears,  seeing  that  his  hairs  have  turned  snow  white  within  a 
few  days,  and  save  thy  soul,  my  child,  and  confess !     Behold, 
thy  heavenly  father  grieveth  over  thee  no  less  than  thy  fleshly 
father,  and  the  holy  angels  veil  their  faces  for  sorrow  that  thou, 
who  wert  once  their  darling  sister,  art  now  become  the  sister 
and  bride  of  the  devil.     Return  therefore,  and  repent !     This 
day  thy  Saviour  calleth  thee,  poor  stray  lamb,  back  into  his 
flock,  '  And  ought  not  this  woman,  being  a  daughter  of  Abra- 
ham, whom  Satan  hath  bound  .  .  be  loosed  from  this  bond  ?' 
Such  are  his  merciful  words  (Luke  xiii.)  ;  item,  '  Return,  thou 
backsliding  Israel,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  not  cause  mine 
anger  to  fall  upon  you,  for  I  am  merciful '  (Jer.  iii.).     Return 
then,  thou  backsliding  soul,  unto  the  Lord  thy  God  !     He  who 
heard  the  prayer  of  the  idolatrous  Manasseh  when  '  he  besought 
the  Lord  his  God  and  humbled  himself  (2  Chron.  xxxiii.) ; 
who,  through  Paul,  accepted  the  repentance  of  the  sorcerers  at 
Ephesus  (Acts  xix.),  the  same  merciful  God  now  crieth  unto 
thee  as  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  Ephesus,  '  Remember, 
therefore,  from  whence  thou  art  fallen  and  repent' (Apocal.  ii.). 
Oh,  Mary,  Mary,  remember,  my  child,  from  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent !" 

Hereupon  he  held  his  peace,  and  it  was  some  time  before  she 
could  say  a  word  for  tears  and  sobs ;  but  at  last  she  answered, 
"  If  lies  are  no  less  hateful  to  God  than  witchcraft,  I  may  not 
lie,  but  must  rather  declare,  to  the  glory  of  God,  as  I  have  ever 
declared,  that  I  am  innocent." 

Hereupon  Dom.  Consul  was  exceeding  wrath,  and  frowned, 


120  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP. 

and  asked  the  tall  constable  if  all  was  ready,  item,  whether  the 
women  were  at  hand  to  undress  Rea  ;  whereupon  he  answered 
with  a  grin,  as  he  was  wont,  "  Ho,  ho,  I  have  never  been  wanting 
in  my  duty,  nor  will  I  be  wanting  to-day ;  I  will  tickle  her  in 
such  wise  that  she  shall  soon  confess." 

When  he  had  said  this,  Dom.  Consul  turned  to  my  daughter 
and  said,  "  Thou  art  a  foolish  thing,  and  knowest  not  the  tor- 
ment which  awaits  thee,  and  therefore  is  it  that  thou  still  art 
stubborn.  Now  then  follow  me  to  the  torture-chamber,  where 
the  executioner  shall  show  thee  the  instrumenta,  and  thou  mayest 
yet  think  better  of  it,  when  thou  hast  seen  what  the  question  is 
like." 

Hereupon  he  went  into  another  room,  and  the  constable  fol- 
lowed him  with  my  child.  And  when  I  would  have  gone  after 
them,  Pastor  Benzensis  held  me  back,  with  many  tears,  and  con- 
jured me  not  to  do  so,  but  to  tarry  where  I  was.  But  I  hearkened 
not  unto  him,  and  tore  myself  from  him,  and  swore  that  so  long 
as  a  single  vein  should  beat  in  my  wretched  body,  I  would  never 
forsake  my  child.  I  therefore  went  into  the  next  room,  and 
from  thence  down  into  a  vault,  where  was  the  torture-chamber, 
wherein  were  no  windows,  so  that  those  without  might  not  hear 
the  cries  of  the  tormented.  Two  torches  were  already  burning 
there  when  I  went  in,  and  although  Dom.  Consul  would  at  first 
have  sent  me  away,  after  a  while  he  had  pity  upon  me,  so  that 
he  suffered  me  to  stay. 

And  now  that  hell-hound  the  constable  stepped  forward,  and 
first  showed  my  poor  child  the  ladder,  saying  with  savage  glee, 
"  See  here !  first  of  all,  thou  wilt  be  laid  on  that,  and  thy  hands 
and  feet  will  be  tied.  Next  the  thumb-screw  here  will  be  put 
upon  thee,  which  straightway  will  make  the  blood  spirt  out  at 
the  tips  of  thy  fingers ;  thou  mayest  see  that  they  are  still  red 
with  the  hlood  of  old  Gussy  Biehlke,  who  was  burnt  last  year, 
and  who,  like  thee,  would  not  confess  at  first.  If  thou  still  wilt 
not  confess,  I  shall  next  put  these  Spanish  boots  on  thee,  and 
should  they  be  too  large,  I  shall  just  drive  in  a  wedge,  so  that 
the  calf,  which  is  now  at  the  back  of  thy  leg' will  be  driven  to 
the  front,  and  the  blood  will  shoot  out  of  thy  feet,  as  when  thou 
squeezes!  blackberries  in  a  bag. 


CHAP,  xxin.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  121 

"  Again,  if  thou  wilt  not  yet  confess — holla  !"  shouted  he,  and 
kicked  open  a  door  behind  him,  so  that  the  whole  vault  shook, 
and  my  poor  child  fell  upon  her  knees  for  fright.  Before  long 
two  women  brought  in  a  bubbling  cauldron,  full  of  boiling  pitch 
and  brimstone.  This  cauldron  the  hell-hound  ordered  them  to 
set  down  on  the  ground,  and  drew  forth,  from  under  the  red  cloak 
he  wore,  a  goose's  wing,  wherefrom  he  plucked  five  or  six  quills, 
which  he  dipped  into  the  boiling  brimstone.  After  he  had  held 
them  awhile  in  the  cauldron  he  threw  them  upon  the  earth,  where 
they  twisted  about  and  spirted  the  brimstone  on  all  sides.  And 
then  he  called  to  my  poor  child  again,  "  See  !  these  quills  I  shall 
throw  upon  thy  white  loins,  and  the  burning  brimstone  will  pre- 
sently eat  into  thy  flesh  down  to  the  very  bones,  so  that  thou 
wilt  thereby  have  a  foretaste  of  the  joys  which  await  thee  in  hell." 

When  he  had  spoken  thus  far,  amid  sneers  and  laughter,  I 
was  so  overcome  with  rage  that  I  sprang  forth  out  of  the  corner 
where  I  stood  leaning  my  trembling  joints  against  an  old  barrel, 
and  cried,  "  Oh,  thou  hellish  dog  !  sayest  thou  this  of  thyself,  or 
have  others  bidden  thee  ?"  Whereupon,  however,  the  fellow 
gave  me  such  a  blow  upon  the  breast  that  I  fell  backwards 
against  the  wall,  and  Dom.  Consul  called  out  in  great  wrath, 
"You  old  fool,  if  you  needs  must  stay  here,  at  any  rate  leave 
the  constable  in  peace,  for  if  not  I  will  have  you  thrust  out  of 
the  chamber  forthwith.  The  constable  has  said  no  more  than  is 
his  duty  ;  and  it  will  thus  happen  to  thy  child  if  she  confess  not, 
and  if  it  appear  that  the  foul  fiend  have  given  her  some  charm 
against  the  torture."*  Hereupon  this  hell-hound  went  on  to 
speak  to  my  poor  child,  without  heeding  me,  save  that  he 
laughed  in  my  face  :  "  Look  here  !  when  thou  hast  thus  been 
well  shorn,  ho,  ho,  ho !  I  shall  pull  thee  up  by  means  of  these 
two  rings  in  the  floor  of  the  roof,  stretch  thy  arms  above  thy 
head,  and  bind  them  fast  to  the  ceiling ;  whereupon  I  shall  take 
these  two  torches,  and  hold  them  under  thy  shoulders,  till  thy 

*  It  was  believed  that  when  witches  endured  the  torture  with  unusual 
patience,  or  even  slept  during  the  operation,  which,  strange  to  say,  fre- 
quently occurred,  the  devil  had  gifted  them  with  insensibility  to  pain  by 
means  of  an  amulet  which  they  concealed  in  some  secret  part  of  their  per- 
sons.— Zedler's  Universal  Lexicon,  vol.  xliv.,  art.  "  Torture." 


1-2-2  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxm. 

skin  will  presently  become  like  the  rind  of  a  smoked  ham. 
Then  thy  hellish  paramour  will  help  thee  no  longer,  and  thou 
wilt  confess  the  truth.  And  now  thou  hast  seen  and  heard  all 
that  I  shall  do  to  thee,  in  the  name  of  God,  and  by  order  of  the 
magistrates." 

And  now  Dom.  Consul  once  more  came  forward  and  admo- 
nished her  to  confess  the  truth.  But  she  abode  by  what  she  had 
said  from  the  first ;  whereupon  he  delivered  her  over  to  the  two 
women  who  had  brought  in  the  cauldron,  to  strip  her  naked  as 
she  was  born,  and  to  clothe  her  in  the  black  torture-shift ;  after 
which  they  were  once  more  to  lead  her  barefooted  up  the  steps 
before  the  worshipful  court.  But  one  of  these  women  was  the 
Sheriff  his  housekeeper  (the  other  was  the  impudent  constable 
his  wife),  and  my  daughter  said  that  she  would  not  suffer  her- 
self to  be  touched  save  by  honest  women,  and  assuredly  not  by 
the  housekeeper,  and  begged  Dom.  Consul  to  send  for  her  maid, 
who  was  sitting  in  her  prison  reading  the  Bible,  if  he  knew  no 
other  decent  woman  at  hand.  Hereupon  the  housekeeper  began 
to  pour  forth  a  wondrous  deal  of  railing  and  ill  words,  but  Dom. 
Consul  rebuked  her,  and  answered  my  daughter  that  he  would 
let  her  have  her  wish  in  this  matter  too,  and  bade  the  impudent 
constable  his  wife  call  the  maid  hither  from  out  of  the  prison. 
After  he  had  said  this,  he  took  me  by  the  arm,  and  prayed  me 
so  long  to  go  up  with  him,  for  that  no  harm  would  happen  to  my 
daughter  as  yet,  that  I  did  as  he  would  have  me. 

Before  long  she  herself  came  up,  led  between  the  two  women, 
barefooted,  and  in  the  black  torture-shift,  but  so  pale  that  I  my- 
self should  scarce  have  known  her.  The  hateful  constable, 
who  followed  close  behind,  seized  her  by  the  hand,  and  led  her 
before  the  worshipful  court. 

Hereupon  the  admonitions  began  all  over  again,  and  Dom. 
Consul  bade  her  look  upon  the  brown  spots  that  were  upon  the 
black  shift,  for  that  they  were  the  blood  of  old  wife  Biehlke, 
and  to  consider  that  within  a  few  minutes  it  would  in  like  man- 
ner  be  stained  with  her  own  blood.  Hereupon  she  answered, 
"  I  have  considered  that  right  well,  but  I  hope  that  my  faith- 
ful Saviour,  who  hath  laid  this  torment  upon  me,  being  inno- 
cent, will  likewise  help  me  to  bear  it,  as  he  helped  the  holy 


CHAP.  Kin.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  123 

martyrs  of  old  ;  for  if  these,  through  God's  help,  overcame  by 
faith  the  torments  inflicted  on  them  by  blind  heathens,  I  also 
can  overcome  the  torture  inflicted  on  me  by  blind  heathens, 
who,  indeed,  call  themselves  Christians,  but  who  are  more  cruel 
than  those  of  yore  ;  for  the  old  heathens  only  caused  the  holy 
virgins  to  be  torn  of  savage  beasts,  but  ye  which  have  received 
the  new  commandment,  '  That  ye  love  one  another ;  as  your 
Saviour  hath  loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another.  By  this 
shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  his  disciples '  (St.  John  xiii.)  ; 
yourselves  will  act  the  part  of  savage  beasts,  and  tear  with 
your  own  hands  the  body  of  an  innocent  maiden,  your  sister, 
who  has  never  done  aught  to  harm  you.  Do,  then,  as  ye  list, 
but  have  a  care  how  ye  will  answer  it  to  the  highest  Judge 
of  all.  Again,  I  say,  the  lamb  feareth  naught,  for  it  is  in  the 
hand  of  the  good  Shepherd  !" 

When  my  matchless  child  had  thus  spoken,  Dom.  Consul  rose, 
pulled  off  the  black  skull-cap  which  he  ever  wore,  because  the 
top  of  his  head  was  already  bald,  bowed  to  the  court,  and  said, 
"  We  hereby  make  known  to  the  worshipful  court,  that  the  ques- 
tion ordinary  and  extraordinary  of  the  stubborn  and  blaspheming 
witch,  Mary  Schweidler,  is  about  to  begin,  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amen." 

Hereupon  all  the  court  rose  save  the  Sheriff,  who  had  got  up 
before,  and  was  walking  uneasily  up  and  down  in  the  room.  But 
of  all  that  now  follows,  and  of  what  I  myself  did,  I  remember  not 
one  word,  but  will  relate  it  as  I  have  received  it  from  my  daugh- 
ter and  other  testes,  and  they  have  told  me  as  follows  : — 

That  when  Dom.  Consul  after  these  words  had  taken  up  the 
hour-glass  which  stood  upon  the  table,  and  walked  on  before,  I 
would  go  with  him,  whereupon  Pastor  Benzensis  first  prayed 
me  with  many  words  and  tears  to  desist  from  my  purpose,  and 
when  that  was  of  no  avail  my  child  herself  stroked  my  cheeks, 
saying,  "  Father,  have  you  ever  read  that  the  Blessed  Virgin 
stood  by  when  her  guileless  Son  was  scourged  ?  Depart,  there- 
fore, from  me.  You  shall  stand  by  the  pile  whereon  I  am  burn- 
ed, that  I  promise  you  ;  for  in  like  manner  did  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin stand  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.  But,  now,  go  ;  go  I  pray  you, 
for  you  will  not  be  able  to  bear  it,  neither  shall  I !" 


124  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxrn. 

And  when  this  also  failed,  Lorn.  Consul  bade  the  constable 
seize  me,  and  by  main  force  lock  me  into  another  room  ;  where- 
upon, however,  I  tore  myself  away,  and  fell  at  his  feet,  conjuring 
him  by  the  wounds  of  Christ  not  to  tear  me  from  my  child  ;  that 
I  would  never  forget  his  kindness  and  mercy,  but  pray  for  him 
day  and  night ;  nay,  that  at  the  day  of  judgment  I  would  be  his 
intercessor  with  God  and  the  holy  angels  if  that  he  would  but  let 
me  go  with  my  child  ;  that  I  would  be  quite  quiet,  and  not  speak 
one  single  word,  but  that  I  must  go  with  my  child,  &c. 

This  so  moved  the  worthy  man  that  he  burst  into  tears,  and 
so  trembled  with  pity  for  me  that  the  hour-glass  fell  from  his 
hands  and  rolled  right  before  the  feet  of  the  Sheriff,  as  though 
God  himself  would  signify  to  him  that  his  glass  was  soon  to  run 
out ;  and,  indeed,  he  understood  it  right  well,  for  he  grew  white 
as  any  chalk  when  he  picked  it  up,  and  gave  it  back  to  Dom. 
Consul.  The  latter  at  last  gave  way,  saying  that  this  day  would 
make  him  ten  years  older  ;  but  he  bade  the  impudent  constable, 
who  also  went  with  us,  lead  me  away  if  I  made  any  rumor  during 
the  torture.  And  hereupon  the  whole  court  went  below,  save 
the  Sheriff,  who  said  his  head  ached,  and  that  he  believed  his  old 
malum,  the  gout,  was  coming  upon  him  again,  wherefore  he  went 
into  another  chamber ;  item,  Pastor  Benzensis  likewise  departed. 

Down  in  the  vault  the  constables  first  brought  in  tables  and 
chairs,  whereon  the  court  sat,  and  Dom.  Consul  also  pushed  a 
chair  toward  me,  but  I  sat  not  thereon,  but  threw  myself  upon 
my  knees  in  a  corner.  When  this  was  done  they  began  again 
with  their  vile  admonitions,  and  as  my  child,  like  her  guileless 
Saviour  before  his  unrighteous  judges,  answered  not  a  word, 
Dom.  Consul  rose  up  and  bade  the  tall  constable  lay  her  on  the 
torture-bench. 

She  shook  like  an  aspen  leaf  when  he  bound  her  hands  and 
feet ;  and  when  he  was  about  to  bind  over  her  sweet  eyes  a  nasty 
old  filthy  clout  wherein  my  maid  had  seen  him  carry  fish  but  the 
day  before,  and  which  was  still  all  over  shining  scales,  I  per- 
ceived it,  and  pulled  off  my  silken  neckerchief,  begging  him  to 
use  that  instead,  which  he  did.  Hereupon  the  thumb-screw  was 
put  on  her,  and  she  was  once  more  asked  whether  she  would 
confess  freely,  but  she  only  shook  her  poor  blinded  head,  and 


CHAP,  xxin.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  125 

sighed  with  her  dying  Saviour,  "  Eli,  Eli,  lama  sabachthani,"  and 
then  in  Greek,  "  9«'/jot),  Qst  pav,  iva  ri  //« iyKari\urts-"*  Whereat 
Dom.  Consul  started  back,  and  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  (for 
inasmuch  as  he  knew  no  Greek,  he  believed,  as  he  afterwards 
said  himself,  that  she  was  calling  upon  the  devil  to  help  her), 
and  then  called  to  the  constable  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Screw  !" 

But  when  I  heard  this  I  gave  such  a  cry  that  the  whole  vault 
shook ;  and  when  my  poor  child,  who  was  dying  of  terror  and 
despair,  had  heard  my  voice,  she  first  struggled  with  her  bound 
hands  and  feet  like  a  lamb  that  lies  dying  in  the  slaughter-house, 
and  then  cried  out,  "  Loose  me,  and  I  will  confess  whatsoe'er 
you  will."  Hereat  Dom.  Consul  so  greatly  rejoiced,  that  while 
the  constable  unbound  her,  he  fell  on  his  knees,  and  thanked  God 
for  having  spared  him  this  anguish.  But  no  sooner  was  my  poor 
desperate  child  unbound,  and  had  laid  aside  her  crown  of  thorns 
(I  mean  my  silken  neckerchief),  than  she  jumped  off  the  ladder, 
and  flung  herself  upon  me,  who  lay  for  dead  in  the  corner  in  a 
deep  swound. 

This  greatly  angered  the  worshipful  court,  and  when  the  con- 
stable had  borne  me  away,  Rea  was  admonished  to  make  her 
confession  according  to  promise.  But  seeing  she  was  too  weak 
to  stand  upon  her  feet,  Dom.  Consul  ga.ve  her  a  chair  to  sit  upon, 
although  Dom.  Camerarius  grumbled  thereat,  and  these  were 
the  chief  questions  which  were  put  to  her  by  order  of  the  most 
honorable  high  central  court,  as  Dom.  Consul  said,  and  which 
were  registered  ad  protocollum. 

Q.  Whether  she  could  bewitch  ? — R.  Yes,  she  could  bewitch. 

Q.  Who  taught  her  to  do  so  ? — R.  Satan  himself. 

Q.  How  many  devils  had  she  ? — R.  One  devil  was  enough 
for  her. 

Q.  What  was  this  devil  called  ? — Ilia  (considering).  His 
name  was  Disidamonia.^ 

Hereat  Dom.  Consul  shuddered  and  said  that  that  must  be  a 
very  terrible  devil  indeed,  for  that  he  had  never  heard  such  a 
name  before,  and  that  she  must  spell  it,  so  that  Scriba  might 
make  no  error  ;  which  she  did,  and  he  then  went  on  as  follows : — 

*  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ? — Matt,  xxvii.,  46. 
f  Aeiirtiaipovia — Superstition.     What  an  extraordinary  woman  ! 


126  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxm. 

Q.  In  what  shape  had  he  appeared  to  her  ? — R.  In  the  shape 
of  the  Sheriff,  and  sometimes  as  a  goat  with  terrible  horns. 

Q.  Whether  Satan  had  re-baptized  her,  and  where  ? — R.  In 
the  sea. 

Q.  What  name  had  he  given  her  ? — R. .* 

Q.  Whether  any  of  the  neighbors  had  been  by  when  she  was 
re-baptized,  and  which  of  them  ? — R.  Hereupon  my  matchless 
child  cast  up  her  eyes  towards  heaven,  as  though  doubting 
whether  she  should  fyle  old  Lizzie  or  not,  but  at  last  she 
said,  No ! 

Q.  She  must  have  had  sponsors  ;  who  were  they  1  and  what 
gift  had  they  given  her  as  christening  money  ? — R.  There  were 
none  there  save  spirits ;  wherefore  old  Lizzie  could  see  no  one 
when  she  came  and  looked  on  at  her  re-baptism. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  ever  lived  with  the  devil  ? — R.  She 
never  had  lived  anywhere  save  in  her  father's  house. 

Q.  She  did  not  choose  to  understand.  He  meant  whether  she 
had  ever  played  the  wanton  with  Satan,  and  known  him 
carnally  ?  Hereupon  she  blushed,  and  was  so  ashamed  that  she 
covered  her  face  with  her  hands,  and  presently  began  to  weep 
and  to  sob :  and  as,  after  many  questions,  she  gave  no  answer, 
she  was  again  admonished  to  speak  the  truth,  or  that  the  execu- 
tioner should  lift  her  up  on  the  ladder  again.  At  last  she  said 
"  No !"  which,  howbeit  the  worshipful  court  would  not  believe, 
and  bade  the  executioner  seize  her  again,  whereupon  she 
answered  "  Yes !" 

Q.  Whether  she  had  found  the  devil  hot  or  cold  ? — R.  She 
did  not  remember  which. 

Q.  Whether  she  had  ever  conceived  by  Satan,  and  given  birth 
to  a  changeling,  and  of  what  shape  ? — R.  No,  never. 

Q.  Whether  the  foul  fiend  had  given  her  any  sign  or  mark 
about  her  body,  and  in  what  part  thereof? — R.  That  the  mark 
had  already  been  seen  by  the  worshipful  court. 

She  was  next  charged  with  all  the  witchcraft  done  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  owned  to  it  all,  save  that  she  still  said  that  she  knew 
naught  of  old  Seden  his  death,  item,  of  little  Paasch  her  sickness, 

*  It  waa  impossible  to  decipher  his  name  in  the  MS. 


CHAP,  xxni.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  127 

nor,  lastly,  would  she  confess  that  she  had,  by  the  help  of  the 
foul  fiend,  raked  up  my  crop  or  conjured  the  caterpillars  into  my 
orchard.  And  albeit  they  again  threatened  her  with  the  ques- 
tion, and  even  ordered  the  executioner  to  lay  her  on  the  bench 
and  put  on  the  thumb-screw  to  frighten  her ;  she  remained 
firm,  and  said,  "  Why  should  you  torture  me,  seeing  that  I 
have  confessed  far  heavier  crimes  than  these,  which  it  will  not 
save  my  life  to  deny  ?" 

Hereupon  the  worshipful  court  at  last  were  satisfied,  and  suf- 
fered her  to  be  lifted  off  the  torture-bench,  especially  as  she  con- 
fessed the  articulus  principalis ;  to  wit,  that  Satan  had  really 
appeared  to  her  on  the  mountain  in  the  shape  of  a  hairy  giant. 
Of  the  storm  and  the  frog,  item,  of  the  hedgehog,  nothing  was 
said,  inasmuch  as  the  worshipful  court  had  by  this  time  seen  the 
folly  of  supposing  that  she  could  have  brewed  a  storm  while  she 
quietly  sat  in  the  coach.  Lastly,  she  prayed  that  it  might  be 
granted  to  her  to  suffer  death  clothed  in  the  garments  which  she 
had  worn  when  she  went  to  greet  the  King  of  Sweden  ;  item, 
that  they  would  suffer  her  wretched  father  to  be  driven  with  her 
to  the  stake,  and  to  stand  by  while  she  was  burned,  seeing  that 
she  had  promised  him  this  in  the  presence  of  the  worshipful 
court. 

Hereupon  she  was  once  more  given  into  the  charge  of  the 
tall  constable,  who  was  ordered  to  put  her  into  a  stronger  and 
severer  prison.  But  he  had  not  led  her  out  of  the  chamber 
before  the  Sheriff  his  bastard,  whom  he  had  had  by  the  house- 
keeper, came  into  the  vault  with  a  drum,  and  kept  drumming 
and  crying  out,  "  Come  to  the  roast  goose  !  come  to  the  roast 
goose  !"  whereat  Dom.  Consul  was  exceeding  wroth,  and  ran 
after  him,  but  he  could  not  catch  him,  seeing  that  the  young 
varlet  knew  all  the  ins  and  outs  of  the  vault.  Without  doubt  it 
was  the  Lord  who  sent  me  the  swound,  so  that  I  should  be 
spared  this  fresh  grief;  wherefore  to  him  alone  be  honor  and 
glory.  Amen. 


128  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxiv. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

How  in  my  presence  the  devil  fetched  old  Lizzie  Knlken. 

WHEN  I  recovered  from  my  above-mentioned  svvound,  I  found 
my  host,  his  wife,  and  my  old  maid  standing  over  me,  and  pour- 
ing warm  beer  down  my  throat.  The  faithful  old  creature 
shrieked  for  joy  when  I  opened  my  eyes  again,  and  then  told 
me  that  my  daughter  had  not  suffered  herself  to  be  racked,  but 
had  freely  confessed  her  crimes  and  fyled  herself  as  a  witch. 
This  seemed  pleasant  news  to  me  in  my  misery,  inasmuch  as  I 
deemed  the  death  by  fire  to  be  a  less  heavy  punishment  than  the 
torture.  Howbeit  when  I  would  have  prayed  I  could  not, 
whereat  I  again  fell  into  heavy  grief  and  despair,  fearing  that 
the  Holy  Ghost  had  altogether  turned  away  his  face  from  me, 
wretched  man  that  I  was.  And  albeit  the  old  maid,  when  she 
had  seen  this,  came  and  stood  before  my  bed  and  began  to  pray 
aloud  to  me  ;  it  was  all  in  vain,  and  I  remained  a  hardened  sin- 
ner. But  the  Lord  had  pity  upon  me,  although  I  deserved  it 
not,  insomuch  that  I  presently  fell  into  a  deep  sleep,  and  did  not 
awake  until  next  morning  when  the  prayer-bell  rang  ;  and  then 
I  was  once  more  able  to  pray,  whereat  I  greatly  rejoiced,  and 
still  thanked  God  in  my  heart,  when  my  ploughman  Glaus  Neels 
came  in  and  told  me  that  he  had  come  yesterday  to  tell  me 
about  my  oats,  seeing  that  he  had  gotten  them  all  in  ;  and  that 
the  constable  came  with  him  who  had  been  to  fetch  old  Lizzie 
Kolken,  inasmuch  as  the  honorable  high  court  had  ordered  her 
to  be  brought  up  for  trial.  Hereat  the  whole  village  rejoiced, 
but  Rea  herself  laughed,  and  shouted,  and  sang,  and  told  him 
and  the  constable,  by  the  way  (for  the  constable  had  let  her  get 
up  behind  for  a  short  time),  that  this  should  bring  great  luck  to 
the  Sheriff.  They  need  only  bring  her  up  before  the  court,  and 
in  good  sooth  she  would  not  hold  her  tongue  within  her  teeth, 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  129 

but  that  all  men  should  marvel  at  her  confession ;  that  such  a 
court  as  that  was  a  laughing-stock  to  her,  and  that  she  spat, 
salvd  venid,  upon  the  whole  brotherhood,  et  cet. 

Upon  hearing  this  I  once  more  felt  a  strong  hope,  and  rose  to 
go  to  old  Lizzie.  But  I  was  not  quite  dressed  before  she  sent  the 
impudent  constable  to  beg  that  I  would  go  to  her  with  all  speed 
and  give  her  the  sacrament,  seeing  that  she  had  become  very 
weak  during  the  night.  I  had  my  own  thoughts  on  the  matter, 
and  followed  the  constable  as  fast  as  I  could,  though  not  to  give 
her  the  sacrament,  as  indeed  anybody  may  suppose.  But  in  my 
haste  I,  weak  old  man  that  I  was,  forgot  to  take  my  witnesses 
with  me ;  for  all  the  misery  I  had  hitherto  suffered  had  so 
clouded  my  senses  that  it  never  once  came  into  my  head.  None 
followed  me  save  the  impudent  constable ;  and  it  will  soon  ap- 
pear how  that  this  villain  had  given  himself  over  body  and  soul 
to  Satan  to  destroy  my  child,  whereas  he  might  have  saved  her. 
For  when  he  had  opened  the  prison  (it  was  the  same  cell  where- 
in my  child  had  first  been  shut  up),  we  found  old  Lizzie  lying 
on  the  ground  on  a  truss  of  straw,  with  a  broom  for  a  pillow  (as 
though  she  were  about  to  fly  to  hell  upon  it,  as  she  no  longer 
could  fly  to  Blockula),  so  that  I  shuddered  when  I  caught  sight 
of  her. 

Scarce  was  loome  in  when  she  cried  out  fearfully,  "I'm  a 
witch,  I'm  a  witch !  Have  pity  upon  me,  and  give  me  the  sacra- 
ment quick,  and  I  will  confess  everything  to  you !"  And  when 
I  said  to  her,  "Confess  then!"  she  owned  that  she,  with  the 
help  of  the  Sheriff,  had  contrived  all  the  witchcraft  in  the  village, 
and  that  my  child  was  as  innocent  thereof,  as  the  blessed  sun  in 
heaven.  Howbeit  that  the  Sheriff  had  the  greatest  guilt,  inas- 
much as  he  was  a  warlock  and  a  witch's  priest,  and  had  a  spirit 
far  stronger  than  her's,  called  Dudaim,*  which  spirit  had  given 

*  This  remarkable  word  occurs  in  the  1  Mos.  xxx.  15  ff.,  as  the  name  of 
a  plant  which  produces  fruitfulness  in  women  ;  but  the  commentators  are 
by  no  means  agreed  as  to  its  nature  and  its  properties.  The  LXX.  render  it 
by  Mandragoras,  which  has  been  understood  by  the  most  eminent  ancient 
and  modern  theologians  to  mean  the  mandrake  (Alraunwurzel)  so  famous 
in  the  history  of  witchcraft.  In  many  instances  the  devils,  strangely 
enough,  receive  Christian  names  :  thus  the  familiar  spirit  of  old  Lizzie  is 
afterwards  called  Kit,  i.  e.  Christopher. 
10 


130  II I H  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxjv. 

her  such  a  blow  on  the  head  in  the  night  as  she  should  never 
recover.  This  same  Dudaim  it  was  that  had  raked  up  the  crops, 
heaped  sand  over  the  amber,  made  the  storm,  and  dropped  the 
frog  into  my  daughter  her  lap  ;  item,  carried  off  her  old  goodman 
through  the  air. 

And  when  I  asked  her  how  that  could  be,  seeing  that  her 
goodnmn  had  been  a  child  of  God  until  very  near  his  end,  and 
much  given  to  prayer  ;  albeit  I  had  indeed  marvelled  why  he 
had  other  thoughts  in  his  last  illness ;  she  answered,  that  one 
day  he  had  seen  her  spirit,  which  she  kept  in  a  chest,  in  the 
shape  of  a  black  cat,  and  whose  name  was  Kit,  and  had  threat- 
ened that  he  would  tell  me  of  it ;  whereupon  she,  being  fright- 
ened, had  caused  her  spirit  to  make  him  so  ill  that  he  despaired 
of  ever  getting  over  it.  Thereupon  she  had  comforted  him,  say- 
ing that  she  would  presently  heal  him  if  he  would  deny  God,  who, 
as  he  well  saw,  could  not  help  him.  This  he  promised  to  do  ; 
and  when  she  had  straightway  made  him  quite  hearty  again, 
they  took  the  silver  which  I  had  scraped  off  the  new  sacrament 
cup,  and  went  by  night  down  to  the  sea-shore,  where  he  had  to 
throw  it  into  the  sea  with  these  words :  "  When  this  silver  re- 
turns again  to  the  chalice,  then  shall  my  soul  return  to  God." 
Whereupon  the  Sheriff,  who  was  by,  re-baptized  him  in  the 
name  of  Satan,  and  called  him  Jack.  He  had  had  no  sponsors 
save  only  herself,  old  Lizzie.  Moreover  that  on  St.  John's  eve, 
when  he  went  with  them  to  Blockula  for  the  first  time  (the  Her- 
renberg*  was  their  Blockula),  they  had  talked  of  my  daughter, 
and  Satan  himself  had  sworn  to  the  Sheriff  that  he  should  have 

• 

her.  For  that  he  would  show  the  old  one  (wherewith  the  villain 
meant  God)  what  he  could  do,  and  that  he  would  make  the  car- 
penter's son  sweat  for  vexation  (fie  upon  thee,  thou  arch  villain, 
that  thou  couldst  thus  speak  of  my  blessed  Saviour !).  Where- 
upon her  old  goodman  had  grumbled,  and  as  they  had  never 
rightly  trusted  him,  the  spirit  Dudaim  one  day  flew  off  with  him 

*  A  hill  near  Coserow.  In  almost  all  trials  of  witches  hills  of  this  kind 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  accused  are  mentioned,  where  the  devil  on  Wal- 
pur^is  night  and  St.  John's  eve  feasts,  dances  and  wantons  with  them,  and 
where  warlock  priests  administer  Satanic  sacraments,  which  are  mere 
mockeries  of  those  of  Divine  institution. 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  131 

through  the  air  by  the  Sheriff's  order,  seeing  that  her  own  spirit, 
called  Kit,  was  too  weak  to  carry  him.  That  the  same  Dudaim 
had  also  been  the  woodpecker  who  afterwards  'ticed  my  daughter 
and  old  Paasch  to  the  spot  with  his  cries,  in  order  to  ruin  her. 
But  that  the  giant  who  had  appeared  on  the  Streckelberg  was 
not  a  devil,  but  the  young  lord  of  Mellenthin  himself,  as  her 
spirit,  Kit,  had  told  her. 

And  this  she  said  was  nothing  but  the  truth,  whereby  she 
would  live  and  die  ;  and  she  begged  me,  for  the  love  of  God,  to 
take  pity  upon  her,  and,  after  her  repentant  confession,  to  speak 
forgiveness  of  her  sins,  and  to  give  her  the  Lord's  Supper ;  for 
that  her  spirit  stood  there  behind  the  stove,  grinning  like  a  rogue, 
because  he  saw  that  it  was  all  up  with  her  now.  But  I  an- 
swered, "  I  would  sooner  give  the  sacrament  to  an  old  sow  than 
to  thee,  thou  accursed  witch,  who  not  only  didst  give  over  thine 
own  husband  to  Satan,  but  hast  likewise  tortured  me  and  my 
poor  child  almost  unto  death  with  pains  like  those  of  hell." 
Before  she  could  make  any  answer,  a  loathsome  insect,  about 
as  long  as  my  finger,  and  with  a  yellow  tail,  crawled  in  under 
the  door  of  the  prison.  When  she  espied  it,  she  gave  a  yell, 
such  as  I  never  before  heard,  and  never  wish  to  hear  again. 
For  once,  when  I  was  in  Silesia,  in  my  youth,  I  saw  one  of  the 
enemy's  soldiers  spear  a  child  before  its  mother's  face,  and  I 
thought  that  a  fearful  shriek  which  the  mother  gave  ;  but  her  cry 
was  child's  play  to  the  cry  of  old  Lizzie.  All  my  hair  stood  on 
end,  and  her  own  red  hair  grew  so  stiff  that  it  was  like  the  twigs 
of  the  broom  whereon  she  lay;  .and  then  she  howled,  "  That  is 
the  spirit  Dudaim,  whom  the  accursed  Sheriff  has  sent  to  me — 
the  sacrament,  for  the  love  of  God,  the  sacrament ! — I  will  con- 
fess a  great  deal  more — I  have  been  a  witch  these  thirty  years ! 
— the  sacrament,  the  sacrament !"  While  she  thus  bellowed 
and  flung  about  her  arms  and  legs,  the  loathsome  insect  rose 
into  the  air,  and  buzzed  and  whizzed  about  her  where  she  lay, 
insomuch  that  it  was  fearful  to  see  and  to  hear.  And  this  she- 
devil  called  by  turns  on  God,  on  her  spirit  Kit,  and  on  me,  to 
help  her,  till  the  insect  all  of  a  sudden  darted  into  her  open 
jaws,  whereupon  she  straightway  gave  up  the  ghost,  and  turned 
all  black  and  blue  like  a  blackberry. 


132  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxiv. 

I  heard  nothing  more  save  that  the  window  rattled,  not  very 
loud,  but  as  though  one  had  thrown  a  pea  against  it,  whereby 
I  straightway  perceived  that  Satan  had  just  flown  through  it 
with  her  soul.  May  the  all-merciful  God  keep  every  mother's 
child  from  such  an  end,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ  our  blessed 
Lord  and  Saviour  !  Amen. 

As  soon  as  I  was  somewhat  recovered,  which,  however,  was 
not  for  a  long  time,  inasmuch  as  my  blood  had  turned  to  ice, 
and  my  feet  were  as  stiff  as  a  stake  ;  I  began  to  call  out  after 
the  impudent  constable,  but  he  was  no  longer  in  the  prison. 
Thereat  I  greatly  marvelled,  seeing  that  I  had  seen  him  there 
but  just  before  the  vermin  crawled  in,  and  straightway  I  sus- 
pected no  good,  as,  indeed,  it  turned  out  j  for  when  at  last  he 
came  upon  my  calling  him,  and  I  told  him  to  let  this  carrion  be 
carted  out  which  had  just  died  in  the  name  of  the  devil,  he  did 
as  though  he  was  amazed  ;  and  when  I  desired  him  that  he 
would  bear  witness  to  the  innocence  of  my  daughter,  which  the 
old  hag  had  confessed  on  her  death-bed,  he  pretended  to  be  yet 
more  amazed,  and  said  that  he  had  heard  nothing.  This  went 
through  my  heart  like  a  sword,  and  I  leaned  against  a  pillar 
without,  where  I  stood  for  a  long  time  ;  but  as  soon  as  I  was 
come  to  myself  I  went  to  Dom.  Consul,  who  was  about  to  go  to 
Uzedom,  and  already  sat  in  his  coach.  At  my  humble  prayer 
he  went  back  into  the  judgment-chamber  with  the  Camerarius 
and  the  Scriba,  whereupon  I  told  all  that  had  taken  place,  and 
how  the  wicked  constable  denied  that  he  had  heard  the  same. 
But  they  say  that  I  talked  a  great  deal  of  nonsense  besides  ; 
among  other  things  that  all  the  little  fishes  had  swam  into  the 
vault  to  release  my  daughter.  Nevertheless,  Dom.  Consul,  who 
often  shook  his  head,  sent  for  the  impudent  constable,  and  asked 
him  for  his  testimony.  But  the  fellow  pretended  that  as  soon  as 
he  saw  that  old  Lizzie  wished  to  confess,  he  had  gone  away,  so 
as  not  to  get  any  more  hard  words,  wherefore  he  had  heard 
nothing.  Hereupon  I,  as  Dom.  Consul  afterwards  told  the  pas- 
tor of  Benz,  clenched  my  fists  and  answered,  "  What,  thou  arch- 
rogue,  didst  thou  not  crawl  about  the  room  in  the  shape  of  a 
reptile  ?"  whereupon  he  would  hearken  to  me  no  longer,  think- 
ing me  distraught,  nor  would  he  make  the  constable  take  an 


CHAP,  xxiv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  133 

oath,  but  left  me  standing  in  the  midst  of  the  room,  and  got  into 

his  coach  again. 

. 

Neither  do  I  know  how  I  got  out  of  the  room ;  but  next  morn- 
ing when  the  sun  rose,  and  I  found  myself  lying  in  bed  at 
Master  Seep  his  alehouse,  the  whole  casus  seemed  to  me  like  a 
dream  ;  neither  was  I  able  to  rise,  but  lay  a-bed  all  the  blessed 
Saturday  and  Sunday,  talking  all  manner  of  allotria.  It  was 
not  till  towards  evening  on  Sunday  when  I  began  to  vomit  and 
threw  up  green  bile  (no  wonder  !),  that  I  got  somewhat  better. 
About  this  time  Pastor  Benzensis  came  to  my  bedside,  and  told 
me  how  distractedly  I  had  borne  myself,  but  so  comforted  me 
from  the  word  of  God,  that  I  was  once  more  able  to  pray  from 
my  heart.  May  the  merciful  God  reward  my  dear  gossip, 
therefore,  at  the  day  of  judgment !  For  prayer  is  almost  as 
brave  a  comforter  as  the  Holy  Ghost  himself,  from  whom  it 
comes  ;  and  I  shall  ever  consider  that  so  long  as  a  man  can 
still  pray,  his  misfortunes  are  not  unbearable,  even  though  in 
all  else  "  his  flesh  and  his  heart  faileth  "  (Ps.  Ixxiii.). 


134  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xiv 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

How  Satan  sifted  me  like  wheat,  whereas  my  daughter  withstood  him  right 

bravely. 

ON  Monday  I  left  my  bed  betimes,  and  as  I  felt  in  passable 
good  case,  I  went  up  to  the  castle  to  see  whether  I  might  per- 
adventure  get  to  my  daughter,  but  I  could  not  find  either  con- 
stable,  albeit  I  had  brought  a  few  groats  with  me  to  give  them  as 
beer-money ;  neither  would  the  folks  that  I  met  tell  me  where 
they  were  ;  item,  the  impudent  constable  his  wife,  who  was  in  the 
kitchen  making  brimstone  matches.  And  when  I  asked  her 
when  her  husband  would  come  back,  she  said  not  before  to- 
morrow morning  early  ;  item,  that  the  other  constable  would  not 
be  here  any  sooner.  Hereupon  I  begged  her  to  lead  me  to  my 
daughter  herself,  at  the  same  time  showing  her  the  two  groats; 
but  she  answered  that  she  had  not  the  keys,  and  knew  not  how 
to  get  at  them  :  moreover  she  said  she  did  not  know  where  my 
child  was  now  shut  up,  seeing  that  I  would  have  spoken  to 
her  through  the  door ;  item,  the  cook,  the  huntsman,  and  whom- 
soever else  I  met  in  my  sorrow,  said  they  knew  not  in  what 
hole  the  witch  might  lie. 

Hereupon  I  went  all  round  about  the  castle,  and  laid  my  ear 
against  every  little  window  that  looked  as  though  it  might  be 
IK  T  window,  and  cried,  "Mary,  my  child,  where  art  thou  ?" 
Item,  at  every  grating  I  found  I  kneeled  down,  bowed  my  head, 
and  called  in  like  manner  into  the  vault  below.  But  all  in  vain  ; 
I  got  no  answer  anywhere.  The  Sheriff  at  length  saw  what  I 
was  about,  and  came  down  out  of  the  castle  to  me  with  a  very 
gracious  air,  and  taking  me  by  the  hand,  he  asked  me  what  I 
sought  ?  But  when  I  answered  him  that  I  had  not  seen  my  only 
child  since  last  Thursday,  and  prayed  him  to  show  pity  upon 
me,  and  let  me  be  led  to  her,  he  said  that  could  not  be,  but  that 
I  was  to  come  up  into  his  chamber,  and  talk  further  of  the  mat- 


CHAP,  xxv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  135 

ter.  By  the  way  he  said,  "  Well,  so  the  old  witch  told  you  fine 
things  about  me,  but  you  see  how  Almighty  God  has  sent  his 
righteous  judgment  upon  her.  She  has  long  been  ripe  for  the 
fire ;  but  my  great  long-suffering,  wherein  a  good  magistrate 
should  ever  strive  to  be  like  unto  the  Lord,  has  made  me  over- 
look it  till  datum,  and  in  return  for  my  goodness  she  raises  this 
outcry  against  me."  And  when  I  replied,  "  How  does  your 
lordship  know  that  the  witch  raised  such  an  outcry  against 
you  ?"  he  began  to  stammer,  and  then  said,  "  Why  you  your- 
self charged  me  thereon  before  the  judge.  But  I  bear  you  no 
anger  therefore,  and  God  knows  that  I  pity  you,  who  are  a  poor 
weak  old  man,  and  would  gladly  help  you  if  I  were  able." 
Meanwhile  he  led  me  up  four  or  five  flights  of  stairs,  so  that  I, 
old  man  that  I  am,  could  follow  him  no  further,  and  stood  still 
gasping  for  breath.  But  he  took  me  by  the  hand  and  said, 
"  Come,  I  must  first  show  you  how  matters  really  stand,  or  I  fear 
you  will  not  accept  my  help,  but  will  plunge  yourself  into  de- 
struction." Hereupon  we  stepped  out  upon  a  terrace  at  the  top 
of  the  castle,  which  looked  toward  the  water ;  and  the  villain 
went  on  to  say,  "  Reverend  Abraham,  can  you  see  well  afar 
off?"  and  when  I  answered  that  I  once  could  see  very  well,  but 
that  the  many  tears  I  had  shed  had  now  peradventure  dimmed 
my  eyes,  he  pointed  to  the  Streckelberg,  and  said,  "  Do  you 
then  see  nothing  there  ?"  Ego.  "  Naught  save  a  black  speck, 
which  I  cannot  make  out."  Hie.  "  Know  then  that  that  is  the 
pile  whereon  your  daughter  is  to  burn  at  ten  o'clock  to-morrow 
morning,  and  which  the  constables  are  now  raising."  When 
this  hell-hound  had  thus  spoken,  I  gave  a  loud  cry  and  swound- 
ed.  Oh,  blessed  Lord !  I  know  not  how  I  lived  through  such 
distress ;  thou  alone  didst  strengthen  me  beyond  nature,  in  or- 
der,  "  after  so  much  weeping  and  wailing,  to  heap  joys  and 
blessings  upon  me ;"  without  thee  I  never  could  have  lived 
through  such  misery :  "  therefore  to  thy  name  ever  be  all  honor 
and  glory,  oh  thou  God  of  Israel  !"* 

When  I  came  again  to  myself  I  lay  on  a  bed  in  a  fine  room, 
and  perceived  a  taste  in  my  mouth  like  wine.     But  as  I  saw  none 

*  Tobit  iii.  22,  23,  Luther's  Version. 


136  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxv. 

near  me  save  the  Sheriff,  who  held  a  pitcher  in  his  hand,  I  shud- 
dered and  closed  mine  eyes,  considering  what  I  should  say  or  do. 
This  he  presently  observed,  and  said,  "  Do  not  shudder  thus  ;  I 
mean  well  by  you,  and  only  wish  to  put  a  question  to  you,  which 
you  must  answer  me  on  your  conscience  as  a  priest.  Say,  rev- 
erend Abraham,  which  is  the  greater  sin,  to  commit  whoredom, 
or  to  take  the  lives  of  two  persons  ?"  and  when  I  answered  him, 
"  To  take  the  lives  of  two  persons,"  he  went  on,  "  Well,  then, 
is  not  that  what  your  stubborn  child  is  about  to  do  ?  Rather 
than  give  herself  up  to  me,  who  have  ever  desired  to  save  her, 
and  who  can  even  yet  save  her,  albeit  her  pile  is  now  being 
raised,  she  will  take  away  her  own  life  and  that  of  her  wretch- 
ed father,  for  I  scarcely  think  that  you,  poor  man,  will  outlive 
this  sorrow.  Wherefore  do  you,  for  God's  sake,  persuade  her 
to  think  better  of  it  while  I  am  yet  able  to  save  her.  For  know 
that  about  ten  miles  from  hence  I  have  a  small  house  in  the 
midst  of  the  forest,  where  no  human  being  ever  goes  ;  thither 
will  I  send  her  this  very  night,  and  you  may  dwell  there  with 
her  all  the  days  of  your  life,  if  so  it  please  you.  You  shall 
live  as  well  as  you  can  possibly  desire,  and  to-morrow  morning 
I  will  spread  a  report  betimes  that  the  witch  and  her  father  have 
run  away  together  during  the  night,  and  that  nobody  knows 
whither  they  are  gone."  Thus  spake  the  serpent  to  me,  as 
whilom  to  our  mother  Eve ;  and,  wretched  sinner  that  I  am,  the 
tree  of  death  which  he  showed  me  seemed  to  me  also  to  be  a  tree 
of  life,  so  pleasant  was  it  to  the  eye.  Nevertheless  I  answered, 
"  My  child  will  never  save  her  miserable  life  by  doing  aught  to 
peril  the  salvation  of  her  soul."  But  now  too  the  serpent  was 
more  cunning  than  all  the  beasts  of  the  field  (especially  such  an 
old  fool  as  I),  and  spake  thus  :  "  Why,  who  would  have  her 
peril  the  salvation  of  her  soul  ?  Reverend  Abraham,  must  I 
teach  you  Scripture  ?  Did  not  our  Lord  Christ  pardon  Mary 
Magdalene,  who  lived  in  open  whoredom  ?  and  did  he  not  speak 
forgiveness  to  the  poor  adulteress  who  had  committed  a  still 
greater  crimen  ?  nay  more,  doth  not  St.  Paul  expressly  say  that  the 
harlot  Rahab  was  saved,  Hebrews  xi.  ?  item,  St.  James  ii.  says 
the  same.  But  where  have  ye  read  that  any  one  was  saved 
who  had  wantonly  taken  her  own  life  and  that  of  her  father  ? 


CHAP,  xxv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  137 

Wherefore,  for  the  love  of  God,  persuade  your  child  not  to  give 
herself  up,  body  and  soul,  to  the  devil,  by  her  stubbornness,  but 
to  suffer  herself  to  be  saved  while  it  is  yet  time.  You  can  abide 
with  her,  and  pray  away  all  the  sins  she  may  commit,  and  like- 
wise aid  me  with  your  prayers,  who  freely  own  that  I  am  a 
miserable  sinner,  and  have  done  you  much  evil,  though  not  so 
much  evil  by  far,  reverend  Abraham,  as  David  did  to  Uriah, 
and  he  was  saved,  notwithstanding  he  put  the  man  to  a  shame- 
ful death,  and  afterwards  lay  with  his  wife.  Wherefore  I,  poor 
man,  likewise  hope  to  be  saved,  seeing  that  my  desire  for  your 
daughter  is  still  greater  than  that  which  this  David  felt  for 
Bathsheba  ;  and  I  will  gladly  make  it  all  up  to  you  twofold  as 
soon  as  we  are  in  my  cottage." 

When  the  tempter  had  thus  spoken,  methought  his  words  were 
sweeter  than  honey,  and  I  answered,  "  Alas,  my  lord,  I  am 
ashamed  to  appear  before  her  face  with  such  a  proposal."  Where- 
upon he  straightway  said,  "  Then  do  you  write  it  to  her ;  come, 
here  is  pen,  ink,  and  paper." 

And  now,  like  Eve,  I  took  the  fruit  and  ate,  and  gave  it  to  my 
child  that  she  might  eat  also  ;  that  is  to  say,  that  I  recapitulated 
on  paper  all  that  Satan  had  prompted,  but  in  the  Latin  tongue, 
for  I  was  ashamed  to  write  it  in  mine  own  ;  and  lastly  I  conjured 
her  not  to  take  away  her  own  life  and  mine,  but  to  submit  to  the 
wondrous  will  of  God.  Neither  were  mine  eyes  opened  when  I 
had  eaten  (that  is  written),  nor  did  I  perceive  that  the  ink  was 
gall  instead  of  honey,  and  I  translated  my  letter  to  the  Sheriff 
(seeing  that  he  understood  no  Latin),  smiling  like  a  drunken 
man  the  while  ;  whereupon  he  clapped  me  on  the  shoulder,  and 
after  I  had  made  fast  the  letter  with  his  signet,  he  called  his 
huntsman,  and  gave  it  to  him  to  carry  to  my  daughter ;  item) 
he  sent  her  pen,  ink,  and  paper,  together  with  his  signet,  in  order 
that  she  might  answer  it  forthwith. 

Meanwhile  he  talked  with  me  right  graciously,  praising  my 
child  and  me,  and  made  me  drink  to  him  many  times  from  his 
great  pitcher,  wherein  was  most  goodly  wine  ;  moreover  he  went 
to  a  cupboard  and  brought  out  cakes  for  me  to  eat,  saying  that  I 
should  now  have  such  every  day.  But  when  the  huntsman  came 
back  in  about  half  an  hour,  with  her  answer,  and  I  had  read  the 


138  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  zxv. 

same,  then,  first,  were  mine  eyes  opened,  and  I  knew  good  and 
evil ;  had  I  had  a  fig-leaf,  I  should  have  covered  them  there- 
with for  shame  ;  but  as  it  was,  I  held  my  hand  over  them  and 
wept  so  bitterly  that  the  Sheriff  waxed  very  wroth,  and  cursing 
bade  me  tell  him  what  she  had  written.  Thereupon  I  interpreted 
the  letter  to  him,  the  which  I  likewise  place  here,  in  order  that 
all  may  see  my  folly,  and  the  wisdom  of  my  child.  It  was  as 
follows  :* 

IESVS  ! 
Pater  infelix ! 

Ego  eras  non  magis  pallebo  rogum  aspectura,  et  rogus  non 
magis  erubescet,  me  suscipiens,  quam  pallui  et  iterum  erubescui, 

*  It  is  evidently  written  by  a  female  hand,  and  probably  the  original 
letter;  there  are,  however,  no  traces  of  sealing-wax  or  wax  upon  it,  whence 
I  infer  that  it  was  sent  open,  which,  from  its  being  written  in  a  foreign 
language,  would  have  been  perfectly  safe.  I  have  purposely  left  the  few 
grammatical  errors  it  contains,  as  the  smallest  alteration  of  this  gem  would 
appear  to  me  in  the  light  of  a  treason  against  the  character  of  this  incom- 
parable woman. 

Translation. 

JESUS ! 
Unhappy  Father ! 

I  shall  not  to-morrow  grow  more  pale  at  sight  of  the  pile,  nor  will 
the  pile  grow  more  red  on  receiving  me,  than  I  grew  pale  and  then  red 
while  reading  thy  letter.  How  ?  and  hath  Satan  so  tempted  thee,  pious 
father,  pious  servant  of  the  Lord,  that  thou  hast  made  common  cause  with 
mine  enemies,  and  that  thou  understandest  not  that  in  such  life  is  death, 
and  in  such  death  is  life  ?  For  if  the  all-merciful  God  forgave  Mary  Mag- 
dalene and  other  sinners,  he  forgave  them  because  they  repented  of  the  weak- 
ness of  their  flesh,  and  sinned  not  again.  And  shall  I  sin  with  so  great 
abhorrence  of  the  flesh,  and  that  not  once,  but  again  and  again  without  return 
even  until  death  ?  How  could  the  all-merciful  God  forgive  this  to  the  vilest 
of  women  ?  Unhappy  father !  remember  what  thou  hast  told  me  of  the  holy 
martyrs,  and  of  the  virgins  of  the  Lord,  who  all  lost  their  lives  rather  than 
lose  their  chastity.  These  will  I  follow,  hoping  that  my  spouse  Jesus  Christ 
will  also  give  to  wretched  me  a  crown  of  eternal  glory,  although,  indeed,  I 
have  not  less  offended  through  the  weakness  of  the  flesh  than  Mary,  declar- 
ing myself  to  be  guilty,  whereas  I  am  innocent.  Be  strong,  therefore,  and 
pray  for  me  unto  God,  and  not  unto  the  devil,  so  that  I  may  soon  pray  for  thee 
before  the  face  of  God. 

MARY  S.,  a  Prisoner. " 


CHAP,  xxv.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  139 

literas  tuas  legens.  Quid  ?  et  te,  pium  patrem,  pium  servum 
Domini,  ita  Satanas  sollicitavit,  ut  communionem  facias  cum 
inimicis  meis,  et  non  intelligas  :  in  tali  vita  esse  mortem,  et  in 
tali  morte  vitam  ?  Scilicet  si  clementissimus  Deus  Marise  Mag- 
dalehse  aliisque  ignovit,  ignovit,  quia  resipiscerent  ob  carnis 
debilitatem,  et  non  iterum  peccarent.  Et  ego  peccarem  cum 
quavis  detestatione  carnis,  et  non  semel,  sed  iterum  atque  iterum 
sine  reversione  usque  ad  mortem  ?  Quomodo  clementissimus 
Deus  hoc  sceleratissima  ignoscere  posset  ?  infelix  pater  !  recor- 
dare  quid  mihi  dixisti  de  sanctis  martyribus  et  virginibus  Domini, 
quse  omnes  mallent  vitam  quam  pudicitiam  perdere.  His  et 
ego  sequar,  et  sponsus  meus,  Jesus  Christus,  et  mihi  miserse,  ut 
spero,  coronam  aeternam  dabit,  quamvis  eum  non  minus  offendi 
ob  debilitatem  carnis  ut  Maria,  et  me  sontem  declaravi,  cum 
insons  sum.  Fac  igitur  ut  valeas,  et  ora  pro  me  apud  Deum 
et  non  apud  Satanam,  ut  et  ego  mox  coram  Deo  pro  te  orare 
possim. 

MAKIA  S.,  captiva. 

When  the  Sheriff  heard  this  he  flung  the  pitcher  which  he 
held  in  his  hand  to  the  ground,  so  that  it  flew  in  pieces,  and 
cried,  "  The  cursed  devil's  wliore  !  the  constable  shall  make  her 
squeak  for  this  a  good  hour  longer;"  with  many  more  such 
things  beside,  which  he  said  in  his  malice,  and  which  I  have  now 
forgotten  ;  but  he  soon  became  quite  gracious  again,  and  said, 
"  She  is  foolish  ;  do  you  go  to  her  and  see  whether  you  cannot 
persuade  her  to  her  own  good  as  well  as  yours  ;  the  huntsman 
shall  let  you  in,  and  should  the  fellow  listen,  give  him  a  good 
box  on  the  ears  in  my  name  ;  do  you  hear,  reverend  Abraham  ? 
Go  now  forthwith  and  bring  me  back  an  answer  as  quickly  as 
possible !"  I  therefore  followed  the  huntsman,  who  led  me  into 
a  vault  where  was  no  light  save  what  fell  through  a  hole  no  big- 
ger than  a  crown-piece  ;  and  here  my  daughter  sat  upon  her 
bed  and  wept.  Any  one  may  guess  that  I  straightway  began  to 
weep  too,  and  was  no  better  able  to  speak  than  she.  We  thus 
lay  mute  in  each  other's  arms  for  a  long  time,  until  I  at  last 
begged  her  to  forgive  me  for  my  letter,  but  of  the  Sheriff  his 
message  I  said  naught,  although  I  had  purposed  so  to  do.  But 


140  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxv. 

before  long  we  heard  the  Sheriff  himself  call  down  into  the 
vault  from  above,  "What  (and  here  he  gave  me  a  heavy  curse) 
are  you  doing  there  so  long  ?  Come  up  this  moment,  reverend 
Johannes !"  Thus  I  had  scarce  time  to  give  her  one  kiss  before 
the  huntsman  came  back  with  the  keys  and  forced  us  to  part ; 
albeit  we  had  as  yet  scarcely  spoken,  save  that  I  had  told  her  in 
a  few  words  what  had  happened  with  old  Lizzie.  It  would  be 
hard  to  believe  into  what  grievous  anger  the  Sheriff  fell  when  I 
told  him  that  my  daughter  remained  firm  and  would  not  hearken 
unto  him  ;  he  struck  me  on  the  breast,  and  said,  "Go  }o  the 
devil  then,  thou  infamous  parson  !"  and  when  I  turned  myself 
away  and  would  have  gone,  he  pulled  me  back,  and  said,  "  If 
thou  breathest  but  one  word,  of  all  that  has  passed,  I  will  have 
thee  burnt  too,  thou  grey-headed  old  father  of  a  witch  j  so  look 
to  it !"  Hereupon  1  plucked  up  a  heart,  and  answered  that  that 
would  be  the  greatest  joy  to  me,  especially  if  I  could  be  burnt 
to-morrow  with  my  child.  Hereunto  he  made  no  answer,  but 
clapped  to  the  door  behind  me.  Well,  clap  the  door  as  thou 
wilt,  I  greatly  fear  that  the  just  God  will  one  day  clap  the  doors 
of  heaven  in  thy  face ! 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  141 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

How  I  received  the  Holy  Sacrament  with  my  daughter  and  the  old  maid- 
servant, and  how  she  was  then  led  for  the  last  time  before  the  court,  with 
the  drawn  sword  and  the  outcry,  to  receive  sentence. 

Now  any  one  would  think  that  during  that  heavy  Tuesday 
night  I  should  not  have  been  able  to  close  mine  eyes ;  but  know, 
dear  reader,  that  the  Lord  can  do  more  than  we  can  ask  or  un- 
derstand, and  that  his  mercy  is  new  every  morning.  For 
toward  daybreak  I  fell  asleep  as  quietly  as  though  I  had  had  no 
care  upon  my  heart ;  and  when  I  awoke  I  was  able  to  pray 
more  heartily  than  I  had  done  for  a  long  time ;  so  that,  in  the 
midst  of  my  tribulation,  I  wept  for  joy  at  such  great  mercy  from 
the  Lord.  But  I  prayed  for  naught  save  that  he  would  endow 
my  child  with  strength  and  courage  to  suffer  the  martyrdom  he 
had  laid  upon  her  with  Christian  patience,  and  to  send  his  angel 
to  me,  woful  man,  so  to  pierce  my  heart  with  grief  when  I 
should  see  my  child  burn,  that  it  might  straightway  cease  to 
beat,  and  I  might  presently  follow  her.  And  thus  I  still  prayed 
when  the  maid  came  in  all  dressed  in  black,  and  with  the  silken 
raiment  of  my  sweet  lamb  hanging  over  her  arm  ;  and  she  told 
me  with  many  tears,  that  the  dead-bell  had  already  tolled  from 
the  Castle  tower,  for  the  first  time,  and  that  my  child  had  sent 
for  her  to  dress  her,  seeing  that  the  Court  was  already  come 
from  Usedom,  and  that  in  about  two  hours  she  was  to  set 
out  on  her  last  journey.  Moreover,  she  had  sent  her  word 
that  she  was  to  take  her  some  blue  and  yellow  flowers  for  a  gar- 
land ;  wherefore  she  asked  me  what  flowers  she  should  take  ; 
and  seeing  that  a  jar,  filled  with  fire-lilies  and  forget-me-nots, 
stood  in  my  window,  which  she  had  placed  there  yesterday,  I 
said,  "  Thou  canst  gather  no  better  flowers  for  her  than  these, 
wherefore  do  thou  carry  them  to  her,  and  tell  her  that  I  will  follow 


142  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxvi. 

thee  in  about  half-an-hour,  in  order  to  receive  the  sacrament 
with  her."     Hereupon  the  faithful  old  creature  prayed  me  to 
suffer  her  to  go  to  the  sacrament  with  us,  the  which  I  promised 
her.    And  scarce  had  I  dressed  myself  and  put  on  my  surplice, 
when  Pastor  Benzensis  came  in  at  the  door  and  fell  upon  my 
neck,  weeping,  and  as  mute  as  a  fish.     As  soon  as  he  came  to 
his  speech  again,  he  told  me  of  the  great  miraculum  (dccmonis  I 
mean)  which  had  befallen  at  th'e  burial  of  old  Lizzie.    For  that, 
just  as  the  bearers  were  about  to  lower  the  coffin  into  the  grave, 
a  noise  was  heard  therein,  as  though  of  a  carpenter  boring 
through  a   deal  board  ;    wherefore  they  thought  the  old  hag 
must  be  come  to  life  again,  and  opened  the  coffin.    But  there  she 
lay  as  before,  all  black  and  blue  in  the  face,  and  as  cold  as  ice  ; 
but  her  eyes  had  started  wide  open,  so  that  all  were  horror- 
stricken,  and  expected  some  devilish  apparition  ;  and,  indeed,  a 
live  rat  presently  jumped  out  of  the  coffin  and  ran  into  a  skull 
which  lay  beside  the  grave.     Thereupon  they  all  ran  away, 
seeing  that  old  Lizzie  had  ever  been  in  evil  repute  as  a  witch. 
Howbeit  at  last  he  himself  went  near  the  grave  again,  where- 
upon the  rat  disappeared,  and  all  the  others  took  courage  and 
followed  him.     This  the  man  told  me,  and  any  one  may  guess 
that  this  was  in  fact  Satan,  who  had  flown  down  the  hag  her 
throat  as  an  insect,  whereas  his  proper  shape  was  that  of  a  rat : 
albeit  I  wonder  what  he  could  so  long  have  been  about  in  the 
carrion  ;  unless  indeed  it  were  that  the  evil  spirits  are  as  fond  of 
all  that  is  loathsome  as  the  angels  of  God  are  of  all  that  is  fair 
and  lovely.     Be  that  as  it  may;    Summa :  I  was  not  a  little 
shocked  at  what  he  told  me,  and  asked  him  what  he  now  thought 
of  the  Sheriff?  whereupon  he  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  said. 
that  he  had  indeed  been  a  wicked  fellow  as  long  as  he  could 
remember  him,  and  that  it  was  full  ten  years  since  he  had  given 
him  any  first-fruits;    but. that  he  did  not  believe  that  he  was  a 
warlock  as  old  Lizzie  had  said.     For  although  he  had  indeed 
never  been  to  the  table  of  the  Lord  in  his  church,  he  had  heard 
that  he  often  went,  at  Stettin,  with  his  Princely  Highness  the 
Duke,  and  that  the  Pastor  at  the  castle  church  had  shown  him 
the  entry  in  his  communion-book.    Wherefore  he  likewise  could 
not  believe  that  he  had  brought  this  misery  upon  my  daughter, 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  143 

if  she  were  innocent,  as  the  hag  had  said;  besides,  that  my 
daughter  had  freely  confessed  herself  a  witch.  Hereupon  I 
answered,  that  she  had  done  that  for  fear  of  the  torture ;  but 
that  she  was  not  afraid  of  death  ;  whereupon  I  told  him,  with 
many  sighs,  how  the  Sheriff  had  yesterday  tempted  me,  misera- 
ble and  unfaithful  servant,  to  evil,  insomuch  that  I  had  been 
willing  to  sell  my  only  child  to  him  and  to  Satan,  and  was  not 
worthy  to  receive  the  sacrament  to-day.  Likewise  how  much 
more  steadfast  a  faith  my  daughter  had  than  I,  as  he  might 
see  from  her  letter,  which  I  still  carried  in  my  pocket ;  here- 
with I  gave  it  into  his  hand,  and  when  he  had  read  it,  he  sighed 
as  though  he  had  been  himself  a  father,  and  said,  "  Were  this 
true,  I  should  sink  into  the  earth  for  sorrow  ;  but  come,  brother, 
come,  that  I  may  prove  her  faith  myself." 

Hereupon  we  went  up  to  the  castle,  and  on  our  way  we  found 
the  greensward  before  the  hunting-lodge,  item,  the  whole  space 
in  front  of  the  castle,  already  crowded  with  people,  who,  never- 
theless, were  quite  quiet  as  we  went  by  :  we  gave  our  names 
again  to  the  huntsman.  (I  have  never  been  able  to  remember 
his  name,  seeing  that  he  was  a  Polak  ;  he  was  not,  however, 
the  same  fellow  who  wooed  my  child,  and  whom  the  Sheriff  had 
therefore  turned  off.)  The  man  presently  ushered  us  into  a  fine 
large  room,  whither  my  child  had  been  led  when  taken  out  of 
her  prison.  The  maid  had  already  dressed  her,  and  she  looked 
lovely  as  an  angel.  She  wore  the  chain  of  gold  with  the  effigy 
round  her  neck  again,  item,  the  garland  in  her  hair,  and  she 
smiled  as  we  entered,  saying,  "  I  am  ready !"  Whereat  the 
reverend  Martinus  was  sorely  angered  and  shocked,  saying, 
"  Ah,  thou  ungodly  woman,  let  no  one  tell  me  further  of  thine 
innocence  !  Thou  art  about  to  go  to  the  holy  sacrament,  and 
from  thence  to  death,  and  thou  flauntest  as  a  child  of  this  world 
about  to  go  to  the  dancing-room."  Whereupon  she  answered 
and  said,  "  Be  not  wroth  with  me,  dear  godfather,  because  that 
I  would  go  into  the  presence  of  my  good  King  of  Heaven  in  the 
same  garments  wherein  I  appeared  some  time  since  before  the 
good  King  of  Sweden.  For  it  strengthens  my  weak  and  trem- 
bling flesh,  seeing  I  hope  that  my  righteous  Saviour  will  in  like 
manner  take  me  to  his  heart,  and  will  also  hang  his  effigy  upon 
my  neck  when  I  stretch  out  my  hands  to  him  in  all  humility, 


144  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xivi. 

and  recite  my  carmen,  saying,  "  Oh,  Lamb  of  God,  innocently 
slain  upon  the  cross,  give  me  thy  peace,  oh,  Jesu  !"  These 
words  softened  my  dear  gossip,  and  he  spoke,  saying,  "  Ah, 
child,  child,  I  thought  to  have  reproached  thee,  but  thou  hast 
constrained  me  to  weep  with  thee :  art  thou  then  indeed  inno- 
cent?" "Verily,"  said  she,  "  to  you,  my  honored  godfather, 
I  may  now  own  that  I  am  innocent,  as  truly  as  I  trust  that  God 
will  aid  me  in  my  last  hour  through  Jesus  Christ,  amen." 

When  the  maid  heard  this,  she  made  such  outcries  that  I  re- 
pented that  I  had  suffered  her  to  be  present,  and  we  all  had 
enough  to  do  to  comfort  her  from  the  word  of  God  till  she  be- 
came somewhat  more  tranquil ;  and  when  this  was  done  my 
dear  gossip  thus  spake  to  my  child :  "  If,  indeed,  thou  dost  so 
steadfastly  maintain  thine  innocence,  it  is  my  duty,  according 
to  my  conscience  as  a  priest,  to  inform  the  worshipful  court 
thereof;"  and  he  was  about  to  leave  the  room.  But  she  with- 
held him,  and  fell  upon  the  ground  and  clasped  his  knees,  say- 
ing, "  I  beseech  you,  by  the  wounds  of  Jesus,  to  be  silent. 
They  would  stretch  me  on  the  rack  again,  and  uncover  my  na- 
kedness, and  I,  wretched  weak  woman,  would  in  such  torture 
confess  all  that  they  would  have  me,  especially  if  my  father 
again  be  there,  whereby  both  my  soul  and  my  body  are  tortur- 
ed at  once :  wherefore  stay,  I  pray  you,  stay  ;  is  it  then  a  mis- 
fortune to  die  innocent,  and  is  it  not  better  to  die  innocent  than 
guilty  ?" 

My  good  gossip  at  last  gave  way,  and  after  standing  awhile 
and  praying  to  himself,  he  wiped  away  his  tears,  and  then  spake 
the  exhortation  to  confession,  in  the  words  of  Isa.  xliii.  1,  2, 
"  But  now  thus  saith  the  Lord  that  created  thee,  O  Jacob,  and 
he  that  formed  thee,  O  Israel,  fear  not ;  for  I  have  redeemed 
thee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name ;  thou  art  mine.  When 
thou  passest  through  the  waters  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  through 
the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee ;  when  thou  walkest 
through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned,  neither  shall  the 
flame  kindle  upon  thee.  For  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour." 

And  when  he  had  ended  this  comfortable  address,  and  asked 
her  whether  she  would  willingly  bear  until  her  last  hour  that 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  145 

cross  which  the  most  merciful  God  according  to  his  unsearchable 
will  had  laid  upon  her,  she  spake  such  beautiful  words  that  my 
gossip  afterwards  said  he  should  not  forget  them  so  long  as  he 
should  live,  seeing  that  he  had  never  witnessed  a  bearing  at 
once  so  full  of  faith  and  joy,  and  withal  so  deeply  sorrow- 
ful. She  spake  after  this  manner  :  "  Oh,  holy  cross,  which 
my  Jesus  hath  sanctified  by  his  innocent  suffering  ;  oh,  dear 
cross,  which  is  laid  upon  me  by  the  hand  of  a  merciful  father ; 
oh,  blessed  cross,  whereby  I  am  made  like  unto  my  Lord  Jesus, 
and  am  called  unto  eternal  glory  and  blessedness :  how  !  shall 
I  not  willingly  bear  thee,  thou  sweet  cross  of  my  bridegroom,  of 
my  brother  ?"  The  reverend  Johannes  had  scarce  given  us 
absolution,  and  after  this,  with  many  tears,  the  holy  sacrament, 
when  we  heard  a  loud  trampling  upon  the  floor,  and  presently 
the  impudent  constable  looked  into  the  room  and  asked  whether 
we  were  ready,  seeing  that  the  worshipful  court  was  now  wait- 
ing for  us ;  and  when  he  had  been  told  that  we  were  ready,  my 
child  would  have  first  taken  leave  of  me,  but  I  forbade  her, 
saying,  "  Not  so  ;  thou  knowest  that  which  thou  hast  promised 

me  ; '  and  whither  thou  goest  I  will  go,  and  where 

thou  lodgest  I  will  lodge  ; where  thou  diest  will  I  die 

'  *  if  that  the  Lord,  as  I  hope,  will  hear  the  ardent  sighs 

of  my  poor  soul."  Hereupon  she  let  me  go,  and  embraced  only 
the  old  maid-servant,  thanking  her  for  all  the  kindness  she  had 
shown  her  from  her  youth  up,  and  begging  her  not  to  go  with 
her  to  make  her  death  yet  more  bitter  by  her  cries.  The  faith- 
ful old  creature  was  unable  for  a  long  time  to  say  a  word  for 
tears.  Howbeit  at  last  she  begged  forgiveness  of  my  child  for 
that  she  had  unwittingly  accused  her,  and  said,  that  out  of  her 
wages  she  had  bought  five  pounds'  weight  of  flax  to  hasten  her 
death ;  that  the  shepherd  of  Pudgla  had  that  very  morning 
taken  it  with  him  to  Coserow,  and  that  she  should  wind  it  close- 
ly round  her  body  ;  for  that  she  had  seen  how  old  wife  Schurne, 
who  was  burnt  in  Liepe,  had  suffered  great  torments  before  she 
came  to  her  death,  by  reason  of  the  damp  wood. 

But  ere  my  child  could  thank  her  for  this,  the  dreadful  out-, 

*  Ruth  i.  16. 
11 


146  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxvi. 

cry  of  blood  began  in  the  judgment-chamber ;  for  a  voice  cried 
as  loudly  as  might  be,  "  Wo  upon  the  accursed  witch,  Mary 
Schweidler,  because  that  she  hath  fallen  off  from  the  living 
God  !"  Then  all  the  folk  without  cried,  "  Wo  upon  the  accursed 
witoh !"  When  I  heard  this  I  fell  back  against  the  wall,  but 
my  sweet  child  stroked  my  cheeks  with  her  darling  hands,  and 
said,  "  Father,  father,  do  but  remember  that  the  people  likewise 
cried  out  against  the  innocent  Jesus, '  Crucify  him,  crucify  him  !' 
Shall  not  we  then  drink  of  the  cup  which  our  heavenly  Father 
hath  prepared  for  us  ?" 

Hereupon  the  door  opened,  and  the  constable  walked  in,  amid 
a  great  tumult  among  the  people,  holding  a  drawn  sword  in  his 
hand  which  he  bowed  thrice  before  my  child  and  cried,  "  Wo 
upon  the  accursed  witch,  Mary  Schweidler,  because  that  she  hath 
fallen  off  from  the  living  God  !"  and  all  the  folks  in  the  hall  and 
without  the  castle  cried  as  loud  as  they  could,  "  Wo  upon  the 
accursed  witch !" 

Hereupon  he  said,  "Mary  Schweidler,  come  before  the  high 
and  worshipful  court,  to  hear  sentence  of  death  passed  upon 
thee  !"  Whereupon  she  followed  him  with  us  two  miserable 
men  (for  Pastor  Benzensis  was  no  less  cast  down  than  myself). 
As  for  the  old  maid-servant,  she  lay  on  the  ground  for  dead. 

After  we  had  with  great  pains  pushed  our  way  through  all  the 
people,  the  constable  stood  still  before  the  open  judgment-cham- 
ber, and  once  more  bowed  his  sword  before  my  child  and  cried 
for  the  third  time,  "  Wo  upon  the  accursed  witch,  Mary 
Schweidler,  because  that  she  hath  fallen  off  from  the  living 
God  !"  And  all  the  people,  as  well  as  the  cruel  judges  them- 
selves, cried  as  loud  as  they  could,  "  Wo  upon  the  accursed 
witch!" 

When  we  had  entered  the  room,  Dom.  Consul  first  asked  my 
worthy  gossip  whether  the  witch  had  abode  by  her  free  avowal 
in  confession  ;  whereupon,  after  considering  a  short  time,  he  an- 
swered, that  he  had  best  ask  herself,  for  there  she  stood.  Ac- 
cordingly, taking  up  a  paper  which  lay  before  him  on  the  table, 
he  spake  as  follows : — "  Mary  Schweidler,  now  that  thou  hast 
confessed,  and  received  the  holy  and  most  honorable  sacrament 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  147 

of  the  Lord's  Supper,  answer  me  once  again  these  following 
questions  : — 

1 .  Is  it  true  that  thou  hast  fallen  off  from  the  living  God  and 
given  thyself  up  to  Satan  ? 

2.  Is  it  true  that  thou  hadst  a  spirit  called  Disidcemonia,  who 
re-baptized  thee  and  carnally  knew  thee  ? 

3.  Is  it  true  that  thou  hast  done  all  manner  of  mischief  to  the 
cattle  ? 

4.  Is  it  true  that  Satan  appeared  to  thee  on  the  Streckelberg 
in  the  likeness  of  a  hairy  giant  ? 

When  she  had  with  many  sighs  said  "  Yes  "  to  all  these  ques- 
tions, he  rose,  took  a  wand  in  one  hand  and  a  second  paper  in 
the  other,  put  his  spectacles  on  his  nose,  and  said,  "  Now,  then, 
hear  thy  sentence."  (This  sentence  I  since  copied  :  he  would 
not  let  me  see  the  other  Acta,  but  pretended  that  they  were  at 
Wolgast.  The  sentence,  however,  was  word  for  word  as  follows.) 

"  We,  the  Sheriff  and  the  Justices  appointed  to  serve  the 
high  and  worshipful  criminal  court.  Inasmuch  as  Mary 
Schweidler,  the  daughter  of  Abraham  Schweidlerus,  the  pastor 
of  Coserow,  hath,  after  the  appointed  inquisition,  repeatedly 
made  free  confession,  that  she  hath  a  devil  named  Disidosmonia, 
the  which  did  re-baptize  her  in  the  sea,  and  did  also  know  her 
carnally ;  item,  thai  she  by  his  help  did  mischief  to  the  cattle  ; 
that  he  also  appeared  to  her  on  the  Streckelberg  in  the  likeness 
of  a  hairy  giant.  We  do  therefore  by  these  presents  make 
known  and  direct,  that  Rea  be  first  duly  torn  four  times  on 
each  breast  with  red-hot  iron  pincers,  and  after  that  be  burned 
to  death  by  fire,  as  a  rightful  punishment  to  herself  and  a  warn- 
ing to  others.  Nevertheless,  we,  in  pity  for  her  youth,  are 
pleased  of  our  mercy  to  spare  her  the  tearing  with  red-hot  pin- 
cers, so  that  she  shall  only  suffer  death  by  the  simple  punish- 
ment of  fire.  Wherefore  she  is  hereby  condemned  and  judged 
accordingly  on  the  part  of  the  criminal  court. 

"  Publicatum  at  the  castle  of  Pudgla,  the  30th  day  mensis 
Augusti,  anno  Salutis  1630."* 

*  Readers  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  atrocious  administration  of  justice 
in  those  days,  will  be  surprised  at  this  rapid  and  arbitrary  mode  of  proceed- 


148  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxvi. 

As  he  spake  the  last  word  he  brake  his  wand  in  two  and 
threw  the  pieces  before  the  feet  of  my  innocent  lamb,  saying  to 
the  constable,  "  Now,  do  your  duty  !"  But  so  many  folks,  both 
men  and  women,  threw  themselves  on  the  ground  to  seize  the 
pieces  of  the  wand  (seeing  they  are  said  to  be  good  for  the  gout 
in  the  joints,  item,  for  cattle  when  troubled  with  lice),  that  the 
constable  fell  to  the  earth  over  a  woman  who  was  on  her  knees 
before  him,  and  his  approaching  death  was  thus  foreshadowed  to 
him  by  the  righteous  God.  Something  of  the  same  sort  like- 
wise befel  the  Sheriff  now  for  the  second  time ;  for  when  the 
worshipful  court  rose,  throwing  down  tables,  stools,  and  benches, 
a  table,  under  which  two  boys  were  fighting  for  the  pieces  of  the 
wand,  fell  right  upon  his  foot,  whereupon  he  flew  into  a  violent 
rage,  and  threatened  the  people  with  his  fist,  saying  that  they 
should  have  fifty  right  good  lashes  a-piece,  both  men  and  women, 
if  they  were  not  quiet  forthwith,  and  did  not  depart  peaceably 
out  of  the  room.  This  frighted  them,  and  after  the  people 
were  gone  out  into  the  street,  the  constable  took  a  rope  out  of 
his  pocket,  wherewith  he  bound  my  lamb  her  hands  so  tightly 
behind  her  back  that  she  cried  aloud  ;  but  when  she  saw  how 
this  wrung  my  heart,  she  straightway  constrained  herself  and 
said,  "  Oh,  father,  remember  that  it  fared  no  better  with  the 
blessed  Saviour  !"  Howbeit,  when  my  dear  gossip,  who  stood 
behind  her,  saw  that  her  little  hands,  and  more  especially  her 
nails,  had  turned  black  and  blue,  he  spoke  for  her  to  the 
worshipful  court,  whereupon  the  abominable  Sheriff  only  said, 
"  Oh,  let  her  be  ;  let  her  feel  what  it  is  to  fall  off  from  the 
living  God."  But  Dom.  Consul  was  more  merciful,  inasmuch 
as,  after  feeling  the  cords,  -he  bade  the  constable  bind  her 
hands  less  cruelly  and  slacken  the  rope  a  little,  which  accord- 
ing. But  I  have  seen  authentic  witch-trials  wherein  a  mere  notary  con- 
demned the  accused  to  the  torture  and  to  death  without  the  smallest  hesi- 
tation ;  and  it  may  be  considered  as  a  mark  of  humanity  whenever  the  acts 
on  which  judgment  was  given  were  sent  to  an  university,  or  to  some  other 
tribunal.  For  the  sentence  of  death  appears  to  have  been  almost  invariably 
passed  by  the  inferior  courts,  and  no  appeal  seems  to  have  been  possible ; 
indeed  in  these  affairs  their  worships,  as  in  this  case,  usually  made  incredi- 
ble haste,  which,  it  must  be  admitted,  is  perhaps  the  only  good  quality 
which  the  modern  courts  of  justice  might  borrow  from  the  old  ones. 


CHAP,  xxvi.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  149 

ingly  he  was  forced  to  do.     But  my  dear  gossip  was  not  con- 
tent herewith,  and  begged  that  she  might  sit  in  the  cart  with- 
out being  bound,  so  that  she  should  be  able  to  hold  her  hymn- 
book,  for  he  had  summoned  the  school  to  sing  a  hymn  by  the 
way  for  her  comfort,  and  he  was  ready  to  answer  for  it  with  his 
own  head  that  she  should  not  escape  out  of  the  cart.     Moreover, 
it  is  the  custom  for  fellows  with  pitchforks  always  to  go  with 
the  carts  wherein  condemned  criminals,  and  more  especially 
witches,  are  carried  to  execution.     But  this  the  cruel  Sheriff 
would  not  suffer,  and  the  rope  was  left  upon  her  hands,  and  the 
impudent  constable  seized  her  by  the  arm  and  led  her  from  the 
judgment-chamber.     But  in  the  hall  we  saw  a  great  scandalum, 
which  again  pierced  my  very  heart.     For  the  housekeeper  and 
the  impudent  constable  his  wife  were  fighting  for  my  child  her 
bed,  and  her  linen,  and  wearing  apparel,  which  the  housekeeper 
had  taken  for  herself,  and  which  the  other  women  wanted  to  have. 
The  latter  now  called  to  her  husband  to  help  her,  whereupon 
he  straightway  let  go  my  daughter  and  struck  the  housekeeper 
on  her  mouth  with  his  fist,  so  that  the  blood  ran  out  therefrom, 
and  she  shrieked  and  wailed  fearfully  to  the  Sheriff,  who  fol- 
lowed us  with  the  court.     He  threatened  them  both  in  vain,  and 
said  that  when  he  came  back  he  would  inquire  into  the  matter 
and  give  to  each  her  due  share.     But  they  would  not  hearken 
to  this,  until  my  daughter  asked  Dom.   Consul  whether  every 
dying  person,  even  a  condemned  criminal,  had  power  to  leave 
his  goods  and  chattels  to  whomsoever  he  would  ?  and  when  he 
answered,  "  Yes,  all  but  the  clothes,  which  belong  of  right  to 
the  executioner,"  she  said,  "  Well,  then,  the  constable  may  take 
my  clothes,  but  none  shall  have  my  bed  save  my  faithful  old 
maid-servant  Use  !"     Hereupon  the  housekeeper  began  to  curse 
and  revile  my  child  loudly,  who  heeded  her  not,  but  stepped  out 
at  the  door  toward  the  cart,  where  there  stood  so  many  people 
that  naught  could  be  seen  save  head  against  head.     The  folks 
crowded  about  us  so  tumultuously  that  the  Sheriff,  who,  mean- 
while, had  mounted  his  grey  horse,  constantly  smote  them  right 
and  left  across  their  eyes  with  his  riding-whip,  but  they  never- 
theless would  scarce  fall  back.     Howbeit,  at  length  he  cleared 
the  way,  and  when  about  ten  fellows  with  long  pitchforks,  who 


150  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxvi. 

for  the  most  part  also  had  rapiers  at  their  sides,  had  placed 
themselves  round  about  our  cart,  the  constable  lifted  my  daugh- 
ter up  into  it,  and  bound  her  fast  to  the  rail.  Old  Paasch,  who 
stood  by,  lifted  me  up,  and  my  dear  gossip  was  likewise  forced 
to  be  lifted  in,  so  weak  had  he  become  from  all  the  distress. 
He  motioned  his  sexton,  Master  Krekow,  to  walk  before  the  cart 
with  the  school,  and  bade  him  from  time  to  time  lead  a  verse  of 
the  goodly  hymn,  "  On  God  alone  I  rest  my  fate,"  which  he 
promised  to  do.  And  here  I  will  also  note,  that  I  myself  sat 
down  upon  the  straw  by  my  daughter,  and  that  our  dear  confes- 
sor the  reverend  Martinus  sat  backwards.  The  constable  was 
perched  up  behind  with  his  drawn  sword.  When  all  this  was 
done,  item,  the  court  mounted  up  into  another  carriage,  the 
Sheriff  gave  the  order  to  set  out. 


CHAP,  xxvii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  151 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Of  that  which  befel  us  by  the  way :  item,  of  the  fearful  death  of  the  Sheriff 
at  the  mill. 

WE  met  with  many  wonders  by  the  way,  and  with  great  sorrow  ; 
fo,r  hard  by  the  bridge,  over  the  brook  which  runs  into  the 
Schmolle,*  stood  the  housekeeper  her  hateful  boy,  who  beat  a 
drum  and  cried  aloud,  "  Come  to  the  roast  goose !  come  to  the 
roast  goose !"  whereupon  the  crowd  set  up  a  loud  laugh,  and 
called  out  after  him,  "  Yes,  indeed,  to  the  roast  goose  !  to  the 
roast  goose !"  Howbeit,  when  Master  Krekow  led  the  second 
verse  the  folks  became  somewhat  quieter  again,  and  most  of 
them  joined  in  singing  it  from  their  books,  which  they  ,had 
brought  with  them.  But  when  he  ceased  singing  awhile  the 
noise  began  again  as  bad  as  before.  Some  cried  out,  "  The 
devil  hath  given  her  these  clothes,  and  hath  adorned  her  after 
that  fashion ;"  and  seeing  the  Sheriff  had  ridden  on  before, 
they  came  close  round  the  cart,  and  felt  her  garments,  more 
especially  the  women  and  young  maidens.  Others,  again, 
called  loudly,  as  the  young  varlet  had  done,  "  Come  to  the  roast 
goose !  come  to  the  roast  goose !"  whereupon  one  fellow 
answered,  "  She  will  not  let  herself  be  roasted  yet ;  mind  ye 
that :  she  will  quench  the  fire !"  This,  and  much  filthiness 
beside,  which  I  may  not  for  very  shame  write  down,  we  were 
forced  to  hear,  and  it  especially  cut  me  to  the  heart  to  hear  a 
fellow  swear  that  he  would  have  some  of  her  ashes,  seeing  he 
had  not  been  able  to  get  any  of  the  wand  ;  and  that  naught  was 
better  for  the  fever  and  the  gout  than  the  ashes  of  a  witch.  I 
motioned  the  Gustos  to  begin  singing  again,  whereupon  the  folks 
were  once  more  quiet  for  a  while — i,  e.,  for  so  long  as  the  verse 

*  A  lake  near  Pudgla. 


152  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xxvii. 

lasted  ;  but  afterwards  they  rioted  worse  than  before.  But  we 
were  now  come  among  the  meadows,  and  when  my  child  saw 
the  beauteous  flowers  which  grew  along  the  sides  of  the  ditches, 
she  fell  into  deep  thought,  and  began  again  to  recite  aloud  the 
sweet  song  of  St.  Augustinus  as  follows : — 

"  Flos  perpetuus  rosarum  ver  agit  perpetuum, 
Candent  lilia,  rubescit  crocus,  suclat  balsamum, 
Virent  prata,  vernant  sata,  rivi  mellis  influunt, 
Pigmentorum  spiral  odor  liquor  et  aromatum, 
Pendent  poma  floridorum  non  lapsura  nemorum 
Non  alternat  luna  vices,  sol  vel  cursus  syderum 
Agnus  est  fcelicis  urbis  lumen  inocciduum."* 

By  this  Casus  we  gained  that  all  the  folk  ran  cursing  away 
from  the  cart,  and  followed  us  at  the  distance  of  a  good  musket 
shot,  thinking  that  my  child  was  calling  on  Satan  to  help  her. 
Only  one  lad,  of  about  five-and-twenty,  whom,  however,  I  did 
not  know,  tarried  a  few  paces  behind  the  cart,  until  his  father 
came,  and  seeing  he  would  not  go  away  willingly,  pushed  him 
into  the  ditch,  so  that  he  sank  up  to  his  loins  in  the  water. 
Thereat  even  my  poor  child  smiled,  and  asked  me  whether  I  did 
not  know  any  more  Latin  hymns  wherewith  to  keep  the  stupid 
and  foul-mouthed  people  still  further  from  us.  But,  dear  reader, 
how  could  I  then  have  been  able  to  recite  Latin  hymns,  even 
had  I  known  any  ?  But  my  Confrater,  the  reverend  Martinus, 
knew  such  an  one ;  albeit,  it  is  indeed  heretical  j  nevertheless, 
seeing  that  it  above  measure  pleased  my  child,  and  that  she  made 
him  repeat  to  her  sundry  verses  thereof  three  and  four  times, 
until  she  could  say  them  after  him,  I  said  naught ;  otherwise 
I  have  ever  been  very  severe  against  aught  that  is  heretical. 
Howbeit  I  comforted  myself  therewith  that  our  Lord  God  would 

*  Around  them,  bright  with  endless  Spring,  perpetual  roses  bloom, 
Warm  balsams  gratefully  exude  luxurious  perfume ; 
Red  crocusses,  and  lilies  white,  shine  dazzling  in  the  sun ; 
Green  meadows  yield  them  harvests  green,  and  streams  with  honey  run ; 
Unbroken  droop  the  laden  boughs,  with  heavy  fruitage  bent, 
Of  incense  and  of  odors  strange  the  air  is  redolent  : 
And  neither  sun,  nor  moon,  nor  stars  dispense  their  changeful  light, 
But  the  Lamb's  eternal  glory  makes  the  happy  city  bright ! 


CHAP,  xxvii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  153 

forgive  her  in  consideration  of  her  ignorance.  And  the  first  line 
ran  as  follows  : — dies  ircz  dies  ilia*  But  these  two  verses  pleased 
her  more  than  all  the  rest,  and  she  recited  them  many  times  with 
great  edification,  wherefore  I  will  insert  them  here. 

"  Judex  ergo  cum  sedebit 
Quidquid  latet  apparebit 
Nil  inultum  remanebit : 

Item, 

Rex  tremendae  majestatis 

Qui  salvandos  salvas  gratis 

Salva  me,  fons  pietatis  !"t  , 

When  the  men  with  the  pitchforks,  who  were  round  about 
the  cart,  heard  this,  and  at  the  same  time  saw  a  heavy  storm 
coming  up  from  the  Achterwater,^  they  straightway  thought 
no  other  but  that  my  child  had  made  it ;  and,  moreover,  the  folk 
behind  cried  out,  "  The  witch  hath  done  this ;  the  damned 
witch  hath  done  this !"  and  all  the  ten,  save  one  who  stayed 
behind,  jumped  over  the  ditch  and  ran  away.  But  Dom.  Consul, 
who,  together  with  the  worshipful  court,  drove  behind  us,  no 
sooner  saw  this  than  he  called  to  the  constable,  "  What  is  the 
meaning  of  all  this  ?"  Whereupon  the  constable  cried  aloud  to 
the  Sheriff,  who  was  a  little  way  on  before  us,  but  who  straight- 
way turned  him  about,  and  when  he  had  heard  the  cause,  called 
after  the  fellows  that  he  would  hang  them  all  upon  the  first  tree, 
and  feed  his  falcons  with  their  flesh,  if  they  did  not  return  forth- 
with. This  threat  had  its  effect ;  and  when  they  came  back  he 
gave  each  of  them  about  half  a  dozen  strokes  with  his  riding- 

*  Day  of  wrath,  that  dreadful  day;  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the 
Catholic  hymns. 

f  The  judge  ascends  his  awful  throne, 
He  makes  each  secwt  sin  be  known, 
And  all  with  shame  confess  their  own. 

Thou  mighty  formidable  king ! 
Thou  mercy's  unexhausted  spring, 
Some  comfortable  pity  bring. —  Old  version. 
}  A  wash  formed  by  the  river  Peene. 


154  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xxvii. 

whip,  whereupon  they  tarried  in  their  places,  but  as  far  off  from 
the  cart  as  they  could  for  the  ditch. 

Meanwhile,  however,  the  storm  came  up  from  the  southward, 
with  thunder,  lightning,  hail,  and  such  a  wind,  as  though  the 
all-righteous  God  would  manifest  his  wrath  against  these  ruthless 

o  o 

murderers  ;  and  the  tops  of  the  lofty  beeches  around  us  were 
beaten  together  like  besoms,  so  that  our  cart  was  covered  with 
leaves  as  with  hail,  and  no  one  could  hear  his  own  voice  for  the 
noise.  This  happened  just  as  we  were  entering  the  forest  from 
the  convent  dam,  and  the  Sheriff  now  rode  close  behind  us,  beside 
the  coach  wherein  was  Dom.  Consul.  Moreover,  just  as  we 
.were  crossing  the  bridge  over  the  mill-race,  we  were  seized  by 
the  blast,  which  swept  up  a  hollow  from  the  Achterwater  with 
such  force  that  we  conceived  it  must  drive  our  cart  down  the 
abyss,  which  was  at  least  forty  feet  deep  or  more  ;  and  seeing 
that,  at  the  same  time,  the  horses  did  as  though  they  were  upon 
ice,  and  could  not  stand,  the  driver  halted  to  let  the  storm  pass 
over,  the  which  the  Sheriff  no  sooner  perceived,  than  he  galloped 
up  and  bade  him  go  on  forthwith.  Whereupon  the  man  flogged 
on  the  horses,  but  they  slipped  about  after  so  strange  a  fashion, 
that  our  guards  with  the  pitchforks  fell  back,  and  my  child  cried 
aloud  for  fear  ;  and  when  we  were  come  to  the  place  where  the 
great  water-wheel  turned  just  below  us,  the  driver  fell  with  his 
horse,  which  broke  one  of  its  legs.  Then  the  constable  jumped 
down  from  the  cart,  but  straightway  fell  too,  on  the  slippery 
ground  ;  item,  the  driver,  after  getting  on  his  legs  again,  fell  a 
second  time.  Hereupon  the  Sheriff  with  a  curse  spurred  on 
his  grey  charger,  which  likewise  began  to  slip  as  our  horses 
had  also  done.  Nevertheless,  he  came  sliding  towards  us,  with- 
out, however,  falling  down  ;  and  when  he  saw  that  the  horse 
with  the  broken  leg  still  tried  to  get  up,  but  always  straightway 
fell  again  on  the  slippery  ground,  he  hallooed  and  beckoned 
the  fellows  with  pitchforks  to*jome  and  unharness  the  mare ; 
item,  to  push  the  cart  over  the  bridge,  lest  it  should  be  carried 
down  the  precipice.  Presently  a  long  flash  of  lightning  shot 
into  the  water  below  us,  followed  by  a  clap  of  thunder  so  sudden 
and  so  awful  that  the  whole  bridge  shook,  and  the  Sheriff  his 
horse  (our  horses  stood  quite  still)  started  back  a  few  paces, 


CHAP,  xxvn.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  155 

lost  its  footing,  and,  together  with  its  rider,  shot  headlong  down 
upon  the  great  mill-wheel  below,  whereupon  a  fearful  cry  arose 
from  all  those  that  stood  behind  us  on  the  bridge.  For  a  while 
naught  could  be  seen  for  the  white  foam,  until  the  Sheriff  his 
legs  and  body  were  borne  up  into  the  air  by  the  wheel,  his  head 
being  stuck  fast  between  the  fellies  ;  and  thus,  fearful  to  behold, 
he  went  round  and  round  upon  the  wheel.  Naught  ailed  the  grey 
charger,  which  swam  about  in  the  mill-pond  below.  When  I 
saw  this,  I  seized  the  hand  of  my  innocent  lamb,  and  cried, 
"  Behold,  Mary,  our  Lord  God  yet  liveth !  '  and  he  rode  upon  a 
cherub,  and  did  fly  ;  yea,  he  did  fly  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
Then  did  he  beat  them  small  as  the  dust  before  the  wind ;  he  did 
cast  them  out  as  the  dirt  in  the  streets.'*  Look  down,  and  see 
what  the  Almighty  God  hath  done."  While  she  hereupon  raised 
her  eyes  toward  heaven  with  a  sigh,  we  heard  Dom.  Consul  call- 
ing out  behind  us  as  loudly  as  he  could  :  and,  seeing  that  none 
could  understand  his  words  for  the  fearful  storm  and  the  tumult 
of  the  waters,  he  jumped  down  from  the  coach,  and  would  have 
crossed  the  bridge  on  foot,  but  straightway  he  fell  upon  his  nose, 
so  that  it  bled,  and  he  crept  back  again  on  his  hands  and  feet, 
and  held  a  long  talk  with  Dom.  Camerarius,  who,  howbeit,  did 
not  stir  out  of  the  coach.  Meanwhile  the  driver  and  the  con- 
stable had  unyoked  the  maimed  horse,  bound  it,  and  dragged  it 
off  the  bridge,  and  now  they  came  back  to  the  cart,  and  bade  us 
get  down  therefrom,  and  cross  the  bridge  on  foot,  the  which  we 
did  after  that  the  constable  had  unbound  my  child,  with  many 
curses  and  ill  words,  threatening  that,  in  return  for  her  malice, 
he  would  keep  her  roasting  till  late  in  the  evening.  (I  could  not 
blame  him  much  therefore  ;  for  truly  this  was  a  strange  thing  !) 
But,  albeit,  my  child  herself  got  safe  across  ;  we  two — I  mean 
reverend  Martinus  and  myself — like  all  the  others,  fell  two  or 
three  times  to  the  ground.  At  length  we  all,  by  God  his  grace, 
got  safe  and  sound  to  the  miller's  house,  where  the  constable 
delivered  my  child  into  the  miller  his  hands,  to  guard  her  on 
forfeit  of  his  life,  while  he  ran  down  to  the  mill-pond  to  save  the 
Sheriff  his  grey  charger.  The  driver  was  bidden  the  while  to 

*  Ps.  xviii.,  10-42. 


156  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xxvii. 

get  the  cart  and  the  other  horses  off  the  bewitched  bridge.  We 
had,  however,  stood  but  a  short  time  with  the  miller,  under  the 
great  oak  before  his  door,  when  Dom.  Consul,  with  the  worship- 
ful court  and  all  the  folks,  came  over  the  little  bridge,  which  is 
but  a  couple  of  musket-shots  off  from  the  first  one,  and  he  could 
scarce  prevent  the  crowd  from  falling  upon  my  child  and  tearing 
her  in  pieces,  seeing  that  they  all,  as  well  as  Dom.  Consul  him- 
self, imagined  that  none  other  but  she  had  brewed  the  storm, 
and  bewitched  the  bridge  (especially  as  she  herself  had  not  fallen 
thereon),  and  had  likewise  caused  the  Sheriff  his  death  ;  all  of 
which,  nevertheless,  were  foul  lies,  as  ye  shall  hereafter  hear. 
He,  therefore,  railed  at  her  for  a  cursed  she-devil,  who,  even 
after  having  confessed  and  received  the  holy  Sacrament,  had  not 
yet  renounced  Satan ;  but  that  naught  should  save  her,  and  she 
should,  nevertheless,  receive  her  reward.  And,  seeing  that  she 
kept  silent,  I  hereupon  answered,  "  Did  he  not  see  that  the  all- 
righteous  God  had  so  ordered  it,  that  the  Sheriff,  who  would 
have  robbed  my  innocent  child  of  her  honor  and  her  life,  had 
here  forfeited  his  own  life  as  a  fearful  example  to  others  ?"  But 
Dom.  Consul  would  not  see  this,  and  said  that  a  child  might 
perceive  that  our  Lord  God  had  not  made  this  storm,  or  did  I 
peradventure  believe  that  our  Lord  God  had  likewise  bewitched 
the  bridge  ?  I  had  better  cease  to  justify  my  wicked  child,  and 
rather  begin  to  exhort  her  to  repent,  seeing  that  this  was  the 
second  time  that  she  had  brewed  a  storm,  and  that  no  man  with 
a  grain  of  sense  could  believe  what  I  said,  &c. 

Meanwhile  the  miller  had  already  stopped  the  mill,  item, 
turned  off  the  water,  and  some  four  or  five  fellows  had  gone  with 
the  constable  down  to  the  gieat  water-wheel,  to  take  the  Sheriff 
out  of  the  fellies,  wherein  he  had  till  datum  still  been  carried 
round  and  round.  This  they  could  not  do  until  they  had  first 
sawn  out  one  of  the  fellies ;  and  when  at  last  they  brought  him 
to  the  ban'c,  his  neck  was  found  to  be  broken,  and  he  was  as  blue 
as  a  corn-flower.  Moreover,  his  throat  was  frightfully  torn,  and 
the  blood  ran  out  of  his  nose  and  mouth.  If  the  people  had  not 
reviled  my  child  before,  they  reviled  her  doubly  now,  and  would 
have  thrown  dirt  and  stones  at  her,  had  not  the  worshipful  court 


CHAP,  xxvii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  157 

interfered  with  might  and  main,  saying  that  she  would  presently 
receive  her  well-deserved  punishment. 

Also,  my  dear  gossip,  the  reverend  Martinus,  climbed  up  into 
the  cart  again,  and  admonished  the  people  not  to  forestall  the  law ; 
and  seeing  that  the  storm  had  some  hat  abated,  he  could  now  be 
heard.  And  when  they  had  become  somewhat  more  quiet,  Dom. 
Consul  left  the  corpse  of  the  Sheriff  in  charge  with  the  miller, 
until  such  time  as,  by  God's  help,  he  should  return.  Item,  he 
caused  the  grey  charger  to  be  tied  up  to  the  oak-tree  till  the  same 
time,  seeing  that  the  miller  swore  that  he  had  no  room  in  the 
mill,  inasmuch  as  his  stable  was  filled  with  straw  ;  but  that  he 
would  give  the  grey  horse  some  hay,  and  keep  good  watch  over 
him.  And  now  were  we  wretched  creatures  forced  to  get  into 
the  cart  again,  after  that  the  unsearchable  will  of  God  had  once 
more  dashed  all  our  hopes.  The  constable  gnashed  his  teeth  with 
rage,  while  he  took  the  cords  out  of  his  pocket  to  bind  my  poor 
child  to  the  rail  withal.  As  I  saw  right  well  what  he  was  about 
to  do,  I  pulled  a  few  groats  out  of  my  pocket,  and  whispered  into 
his  ear,  "Be  merciful,  for  she  cannot  possibly  run  away,  and 
do  you  hereafter  help  her  to  die  quickly,  and  you  shall  get  ten 
groats  more  from  me  !"  This  worked  well,  and  albeit  he  pre- 
tended before  the  people  to  pull  the  ropes  tight,  seeing  they  all 
cried  out  with  might  and  main,  "  Haul  hard,  haul  hard,"  in 
truth,  he  bound  her  hands  more  gently  than  before,  and  even 
without  making  her  fast  to  the  rail ;  but  he  sat  up  behind  us 
again  with  the  naked  sword,  and  after  that  Dom.  Consul  had 
prayed  aloud,  "  God  the  Father,  dwell  with  us,"  likewise  the 
Gustos  had  led  another  hymn  ( I  know  not  what  he  sang,  neither 
does  my  child),  we  went  on  our  way  according  to  the  unfathom- 
able will  of  God,  after  this  fashion  :  the  worshipful  court  went 
before,  whereas  all  the  folks  to  our  great  joy  fell  back,  and  the 
fellows  with  the  pitchforks  lingered  a  good  way  behind  us,  now 
that  the  Sheriff  was  dead. 


158  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xxvin. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

How  my  daughter  was  at  length  saved  by  the  help  of  the  all-merciful,  yea, 
of  the  all-merciful  God. 

MEANWHILE,  by  reason  of  my  unbelief,  wherewith  Satan  again 
tempted  me,  I  had  become  so  weak  that  I  was  forced  to  lean  my 
back  against  the  constable  his  knees,  and  expected  not  to  live 
even  till  we  should  come  to  the  mountain ;  for  the  last  hope  I 
had  cherished  was  now  gone,  and  I  saw  that  my  innocent  lamb 
was  in  the  same  plight.  Moreover,  the  reverend  Martinus  began 
to  upbraid  her,  saying  that  he,  too,  now  saw  that  all  her  oaths 
were  lies,  and  that  she  really  could  brew  storms.  Hereupon, 
she  answered  with  a  smile,  although,  indeed,  she  was  as  white 
as  a  sheet,  "Alas,  reverend  godfather,  do  you  then  really 
believe  that  the  weather  and  the  storms  no  longer  obey  our  Lord 
God  ?  Are  storms,  then,  so  rare  at  this  season  of  the  year,  that 
none  save  the  foul  fiend  can  cause  them  ?  Nay,  I  have  never 
broken  the  baptismal  vow  you  once  made  in  my  name,  nor  will 
I  ever  break  it,  as  I  hope  that  God  will  be  merciful  to  me  in  my 
last  hour,  which  is  now  at  hand."  But  the  reverend  Martinus 
shook  his  head  doubtingly,  and  said,  "  The  Evil  One  must  have 
promised  thee  much,  seeing  thou  remainest  so  stubborn  even 
unto  thy  life's  end,  and  blasphemest  the  Lord  thy  God  ;  but  wait. 
and  thou  wilt  soon  learn  with  horror  that  the  devil  '  is  a  liar,  and 
the  father  of  it'  "  (St.  John  viii.).  Whilst  he  yet  spake  this,  and 
more  of  a  like  kind,  we  came  to  Uekeritze,  where  all  the  people, 
both  great  and  small,  rushed  out  of  their  doors,  also  Jacob 
Schwarten  his  wife,  who,  as  we  afterwards  heard,  had  only  been 
brought  to  bed  the  night  before,  and  her  goodman  came  running 
after  her  to  fetch  her  back,  in  vain.  She  told  him  he  was  a  fool, 
and  had  been  one  for  many  a  weary  day,  and  that  if  she  had  to 
crawl  up  the  mountain  on  her  bare  knees,  she  would  go  to  see 
the  parson's  witch  burnt ;  that  she  had  reckoned  upon  it  for  so 


CHAP,  xxvni.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  159 

long,  and  if  he  did  not  let  her  go,  she  would  give  him  a  thump 
on  the  chaps,  &c. 

Thus  did  the  coarse  and  foul-mouthed  people  riot  around  the 
cart  wherein  we  sat,  and  as  they  knew  not  what  had  befallen, 
they  ran  so  near  us  that  the  wheel  went  over  the  foot  of  a  boy. 
Nevertheless  they  all  crowded  up  again,  more  especially  the 
lasses,  and  felt  my  daughter  her  clothes,  and  would  even  see  her 
shoes  and  stockings,  and  asked  her  how  she  felt.  Item,  one  fel- 
low asked  whether  she  would  drink  somewhat,  with  many  more 
fooleries  besides,  till  at  last,  when  several  came  and  asked  her 
for  her  garland  and  her  golden  chain,  she  turned  towards  me 
and  smiled,  saying,  "  Father,  I  must  begin  to  speak  some  Latin 
again,  otherwise  the  folks  will  leave  me  no  peace."  But  it  was 
not  wanted  this  time  ;  for  our  guards,  with  the  pitchforks,  had 
now  reached  the  hindmost,  and,  doubtless,  told  them  what  had 
happened,  as  we  presently  heard  a  great  shouting  behind  us,  for 
the  love  of  God  to  turn  back  before  the  witch  did  them  a  mis- 
chief; and  as  Jacob  Schwarten  his  wife  heeded  it  not,  but  still 
plagued  my  child  to  give  her  her  apron  to  make  a  christening 
coat  for  her  baby,  for  that  it  was  pity  to  let  it  be  burnt,  her 
goodman  gave  her  such  a  thump  on  her  back  with  a  knotted 
stick  which  he  had  pulled  out  of  the  hedge,  that  she  fell  down 
with  loud  shrieks ;  and  when  he  went  to  help  her  up  she  pulled 
him  down  by  his  hair,  and,  as  reverend  Martinus  said,  now  exe- 
cuted what  she  had  threatened  ;  inasmuch  as  she  struck  him  on 
the  nose  with  her  fist  with  might  and  main,  until  the  other  people 
came  running  up  to  them,  and  held  her  back.  Meanwhile, 
however,  the  storm  had  almost  passed  over,  and  sank  down 
toward  the  sea. 

And  when  we  had  gone  through  the  little  wood,  we  suddenly 
saw  the  Streckelberg  before  us,  covered  with  people,  and  the  pile 
and  stake  upon  the  top,  upon  the  which  the  tall  constable  jumped 
up  when  he  saw  us  coming,  and  beckoned  with  his  cap  with  all 
his  might.  Thereat  my  senses  left  me,  and  my  sweet  lamb  was 
not  much  better ;  for  she  bent  to  and  fro  like  a  reed,  and  stretch- 
ing her  bound  hands  toward  heaven,  she  once  more  cried  out : 


160  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xxvm. 

"  Rex  tremendae  majestatis ! 
Qui  salvandos  salvas  gratis, 
Salva  me,  fons  pietatis."* 

And,  behold,  scarce  had  she  spoken  these  words,  when  the  sun 
came  out  and  formed  a  rainbow  right  over  the  mountain  most 
pleasant  to  behold ;  and  it  is  clear  that  this  was  a  sign  from  the 
merciful  God,  such  as  he  often  gives  us,  but  which  we  blind  and 
unbelieving  men  do  not  rightly  mark.  Neither  did  my  child 
heed  it ;  for  albeit  she  thought  upon  that  first  rainbow  which 
shadowed  forth  our  troubles,  yet  it  seemed  to  her  impossible  that 
she  could  now  be  saved,  wherefore  she  grew  so  faint,  that  she 
no  longer  heeded  the  blessed  sign  of  mercy,  and  her  head  fell 
forwards  (for  she  could  no  longer  lean  it  upon  me,  seeing  that  I 
lay  my  length  at  the  bottom  of  the  cart),  till  her  garland  almost 
touched  my  worthy  gossip  his  knees.  Thereupon,  he  bade  the 
driver  stop  for  a  moment,  and  pulled  out  a  small  flask  filled  with 
wine,  which  he  always  carries  in  his  pocket  when  witches  are 
to  be  burnt,f  in  order  to  comfort  them  therewith  in  their  terror. 
(Henceforth,  I  myself  will  ever  do  the  like,  for  this  fashion  of 
my  dear  gossip  pleases  me  well.)  He  first  poured  some  of 
this  wine  down  my  throat,  and  afterwards  down  my  child's  ;  and 
we  had  scarce  come  to  ourselves  again,  when  a  fearful  noise  and 
tumult  arose  among  the  people  behind  us,  and  they  not  only  cried 
out  in  deadly  fear,  "  The  Sheriff  is  come  back !  the  Sheriff  is 
come  again  !"  but  as  they  could  neither  run  away  forwards  or 
backwards  (being  afraid  of  the  ghost  behind  and  of  my  child 
before  them),  they  ran  on  either  side,  some  rushing  into  the 
coppice,  and  others  wading  into  the  Achterwater  up  to  their 
necks.  Item,  as  soon  as  Dom.  Camerarius  saw  the  ghost  come 
out  of  the  coppice  with  a  grey  hat  and  a  grey  feather,  such  as 
the  Sheriff  wore,  riding  on  the  grey  charger,  he  crept  under  a 
bundle  of  straw  in  the  cart ;  and  Dom.  Consul  cursed  my  child 
again,  and  bade  the  coachmen  drive  on  as  madly  as  they  could, 
even  should  all  the  horses  die  of  it,  when  the  impudent  constable 

*  Vide  p.  153. 

t  Which  so  often  happened  at  that  time,  that  in  many  parishes  of  Pome- 
rania  six  or  seven  of  these  unhappy  women  were  brought  to  the  stake  every 
year. 


CHAP,  xxvni.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  161 

behind  us  called  to  him,  "  It  is  not  the  Sheriff,  but  the  young 
lord  of  Nienkerken,  who  will  surely  seek  to  save  the  witch  :  shall 
I,  then,  cut  her  throat  with  my  sword  ?"  At  these  fearful  words 
my  child  and  I  came  to  ourselves  again,  and  the  fellow  had 
already  lift  up  his  naked  sword  to  smite  her,  seeing  Dom.  Con- 
sul had  made  him  a  sign  with  his  hand,  when  my  dear  gossip, 
who  saw  it,  pulled  my  child  with  all  his  strength  back  into  his 
lap.  (May  God  reward  him  on  the  day  of  judgment,  for  I  never 
can.)  The  villain  would  have  stabbed  her  as  she  lay  in  his'lap ; 
but  the  young  lord  was  already  there,  and  seeing  what  he  was 
about  to  do,  thrust  the  boarspear,  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  in 
between  the  constable's  shoulders,  so  that  he  fell  headlong  on 
the  earth,  and  his  own  sword,  by  the  guidance  of  the  most  righte- 
ous God,  went  into  his  ribs  on  one  side,  and  out  again  at  the 
other.  He  lay  there  and  bellowed,  but  the  young  lord  heeded 
him  not,  but  said  to  my  child,  "  Sweet  maid,  God  be  praised  that 
you  are  safe  !"  When,  however,  he  saw  her  bound  hands,  he 
gnashed  his  teeth,  and,  cursing  her  judges,  he  jumped  off  his 
horse,  and  cut  the  rope  with  his  sword,  which  he  held  in  his 
right  hand,  took  her  hand  in  his,  and  said,  "  Alas,  sweet  maid, 
how  have  I  sorrowed  for  you  !  but  I  could  not  save  you,  as  I 
myself  also  lay  in  chains,  which  you  may  see  from  my 
looks." 

But  my  child  could  answer  him  never  a  word,  and  fell  into  a 
swound  again  for  joy  ;  howbeit,  she  soon  came  to  herself  again, 
seeing  my  dear  gossip  still  had  a  little  wine  by  him.  Meanwhile 
the  dear  young  lord  did  me  some  injustice,  which,  however,  I 
freely  forgive  him  ;  for  he  railed  at  me  and  called  me  an  old 
woman,  who  could  do  naught  save  weep  and  wail.  Why  had  I 
not  journeyed  after  the  Swedish  king,  or  why  had  I  not  gone  to 
Mellenthin  myself  to  fetch  his  testimony,  as  I  knew  right  well 
what  he  thought  about  witchcraft  ?  (But,  blessed  God,  how 
could  I  do  otherwise  than  believe  the  judge,  who  had  been  there  ? 
Others  besides  old  women  would  have  done  the  same ;  and  I  never 
once  thought  of  the  Swedish  king ;  and  say,  dear  reader,  how 
could  I  have  journeyed  after  him,  and  left  my  own  child  ?  But 
young  folks  do  not  think  of  these  things,  seeing  they  know  not  what 
a  father  feels.) 

12 


162  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP,  xxvm. 

Meanwhile,  however,  Dom.  Camerarius,  having  heard  that  it 
was  the  young  lord,  had  again  crept  out  from  beneath  the  straw, 
item,  Dom.  Consul  had  jumped  down  from  the  coach  and  ran 
towards  us,  railing  at  him  loudly,  and  asking  him  by  what  power 
and  authority  he  acted  thus,  seeing  that  he  himself  had  heretofore 
denounced  the  ungodly  witch  ?  But  the  young  lord  pointed  with 
his  sword  to  his  people,  who  now  came  riding  out  of  the  coppice, 
about  eighteen  strong,  armed  with  sabres,  pikes,  and  muskets,  and 
said,  '•  There  is  my  authority,  and  I  would  let  you  feel  it  on  your 
back  if  I  did  not  know  that  you  were  but  a  stupid  ass.  When  did 
you  hear  any  testimony  from  me  against  this  virtuous  maiden  ? 
You  lie  in  your  throat  if  you  say  you  did."  And  as  Dom.  Consul 
stood  and  straightway  forswore  himself,  the  young  lord,  to  the 
astonishment  of  all,  related  as  follows  : — That  as  soon  as  he  heard 
of  the  misfortune  which  had  befallen  me  and  my  child,  he  ordered 
his  horse  to  be  saddled  forthwith,  in  order  to  ride  to  Pudgla  to  bear 
witness  to  our  innocence  :  this,  however,  his  old  father  would 
nowise  suffer,  thinking  that  his  nobility  would  receive  a  stain  if  it 
came  to  be  known  that  his  son  had  conversed  with  a  reputed  witch 
by  night  on  the  Streckelberg.  He  had  caused  him  therefore,  as 
prayers  and  threats  were  of  no  avail,  to  be  bound  hand  and  foot, 
and  confined  in  the  donjon-keep,  where  till  datum  an  old  servant 
had  watched  him,  who  refused  to  let  him  escape,  notwithstanding 
he  offered  him  any  sum  of  money  ;  whereupon  he  fell  into  the 
greatest  anguish  and  despair  at  the  thought  that  innocent  blood 
would  be  shed  on  his  account ;  but  that  the  all-righteous  God  had 
graciously  spared  him  this  sorrow  ;  for  his  father  had  fallen  sick 
from  vexation,  and  lay  a-bed  all  this  time,  and  it  so  happened 
that  this  very  morning  about  prayer  time,  the  huntsman,  in  shoot- 
ing at  a  wild  duck  in  the  moat,  had  by  chance  sorely  wounded  his 
father's  favorite  dog,  called  Packan,  which  had  crept  howling  to 
his  father's  bedside,  and  had  died  there  ;  wherupon  the  old 
man,  who  was  weak,  was  so  angered  that  he  was  presently  seized 
with  a  fit  and  gave  up  the  ghost  too.  Hereupon  his  people 
released  him,  and  after  he  had  closed  his  father's  eyes  and  prayed 
an  "  Our  Father"  over  him,  he  straightway  set  out  with  all  the 
people  he  could  find  in  the  castle,  in  order  to  save  the  innocent 
maiden.  For  he  testified  here  himself  before  all,  on  the  word  and 


CHAP,  xxviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  163 

honor  of  a  knight,  nay,  more,  by  his  hopes  of  salvation,  that  he 
himself  was  that  devil  which  had  appeared  to  the  maiden  on  the 
mountain  in  the  shape  of  a  hairy  giant ;  for  having  heard  by  com- 
mon report  that  she  oft-times  went  thither,  he  greatly  desired  to 
know  what  she  did  there,  and  that  from  fear  of  his  hard  father  he 
disguised  himself  in  a  wolf's  skin,  so  that  none  might  know  him, 
and  he  had  already  spent  two  nights  there,  when  on  the  third  the 
maiden  came,  and  he  then  saw  her  dig  for  amber  on  the  mountain, 
and  that  she  did  not  call  upon  Satan,  but  recited  a  Latin  carmen 
aloud  to  herself.  Thus  he  would  have  testified  at  Pudgla,  but, 
from  the  cause  aforesaid,  he  had  not  been  able  :  moreover,  his 
father  had  laid  his  cousin,  Glaus  von  Nienkerken,  who  was  there 
on  a  visit,  in  his  bed,  and  made  him  bear  false  witness  ;  for  as 
Dom.  Consul  had  not  seen  him  (I  mean  the  young  lord)  for  many 
a  long  year,  seeing  he  had  studied  in  foreign  parts,  his  father 
thought  that  he  might  easily  be  deceived,  which  accordingly 
happened. 

When  the  worthy  young  lord  had  stated  this  before  Dom. 
Consul  and  all  the  people,  which  flocked  together  on  hearing 
that  the  young  lord  was  no  ghost,  I  felt  as  though  a  mill-stone 
had  been  taken  off  my  heart ;  and  seeing  that  the  people  (who 
had  already  pulled  the  constable  from  under  the  cart,  and 
crowded  round  him,  like  a  swarm  of  bees)  cried  to  me  that  he 
was  dying,  but  desired  first  to  confess  somewhat  to  me,  I  jumped 
from  the  cart  as  lightly  as  a  young  bachelor,  and  called  to  Dom. 
Consul  and  the  young  lord  to  go  with  me,  seeing  that  I  could 
easily  guess  what  he  had  on  his  mind.  He  sat  upon  a  stone, 
and  the  blood  gushed  from  his  side  like  a  fountain  (now  that 
they  had  drawn  out  the  sword) ;  he  whimpered  on  seeing  me, 
and  said  that  he  had  in  truth  hearkened  behind  the  door  to  all 
that  old  Lizzie  had  confessed  to  me,  namely,  that  she  herself, 
together  with  the  Sheriff,  had  worked  all  the  witchcraft  on  man 
and  beast,  to  frighten  my  poor  child,  and  force  her  to  play  the 
wanton.  That  he  had  hidden  this,  seeing  that  the  Sheriff  had 
promised  him  a  great  reward  for  so  doing ;  but  that  he  would 
now  confess  it  freely,  since  God  had  brought  my  child  her 
innocence  to  light.  Wherefore  he  besought  my  child  and  myself 
to  forgive  him.  And  when  Dom.  Consul  shook  his  head,  and 


164  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxvm. 

asked  whether  he  would  live  and  die  on  the  truth  of  this  con- 
fession,  he  answered,  "  Yes !"  and  straightway  fell  on  his  side  to 
the  earth  and  gave' up  the  ghost. 

Meanwhile  time  hung  heavy  with  the  people  on  the  mountain, 
who  had  come  from  Coserow,  from  Zitze,  from  Gnitze,  &c.,  to 
see  my  child  burnt,  and  they  all  came  running  down  the  hill  in 
long  rows  like  geese,  one  after  the  other,  to  see  what  had  hap- 
pened. And  among  them  was  my  ploughman,  Glaus  Neels. 
When  the  worthy  fellow  saw  and  heard  what  had  befallen  us, 
he  began  to  weep  aloud  for  joy ;  and  straightway  he  too  told 
what  he  had  heard  the  Sheriff  say  to  old  Lizzie  in  the  garden, 
and  how  he  had  promised  her  a  pig  in  the  room  of  her  own  little 
pig,  which  she  had  herself  bewitched  to  death  in  order  to 
bring  my  child  into  evil  repute.  Summa  :  All  that  I  have  noted 
above,  and  which  till  datum  he  had  kept  to  himself  for  fear  of 
the  question.  Hereat  all  the  people  marvelled,  and  greatly  be- 
wailed  her  misfortunes ;  and  many  came,  among  them  old 
Paasch,  and  would  have  kissed  my  daughter  her  hands  and  feet, 
as  also  mine  own,  and  praised  us  now  as  much  as  they  had 
before  reviled  us.  But  thus  it  ever  is  with  the  people.  Where- 
fore my  departed  father  used  to  say : 

"  The  people's  hate  is  death, 
Their  love  a  passing  breath  !" 

My  dear  gossip  ceased  not  from  fondling  my  child,  holding 
her  in  his  lap,  and  weeping  over  her  like  a  father  (for  I  could 
not  have  wept  more  myself  than  he  wept).  Howbeit  she  her- 
self wept  not,  but  begged  the  young  lord  to  send  one  of  his 
horsemen  to  her  faithful  old  maid-servant  at  Pudgla,  to  tell  her 
what  had  befallen  us,  which  he  straightway  did  to  please  her. 
But  the  worshipful  court  (for  Dom.  Camerarius  and  the  scriba 
had  now  plucked  up  a  heart,  and  had  come  down  from  the 
coach)  was  not  yet  satisfied,  and  Dom.  Consul  began  to  tell  the 
young  lord  about  the  bewitched  bridge,  which  none  other  save 
my  daughter  could  have  bewitched.  Hereto  the  young  lord 
gave  answer  that  this  was  indeed  a  strange  thing,  inasmuch  as 
his  own  horse  had  also  broken  a  leg  thereon,  whereupon  he  had 
taken  the  Sheriff  his  horse,  which  he  saw  tied  up  at  the  mill ; 


CHAP  xxviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  165 

but  he  did  not  think  that  this  could  be  laid  to  the  charge  of  the 
maiden,  but  that  it  came  about  by  natural  means,  as  he  had 
half  discovered  already,  although  he  had  not  had  time  to  search 
the  matter  thoroughly.  Wherefore  he  besought  the  worshipful 
court  and  all  the  people,  together  with  my  child  herself,  to  re- 
turn back  thither,  where,  with  God's  help,  he  would  clear  her 
from  this  suspicion  also,  and  prove  her  perfect  innocence  before 
them  all. 

Thereunto  the  worshipful  court  agreed  ;  and  the  young  lord, 
having  given  the  Sheriff  his  grey  charger  to  my  ploughman  to 
carry  the  corpse,  which  had  been  laid  across  the  horse's  neck, 
to  Coserow,  the  young  lord  got  into  the  cart  by  us,  but  did  not 
seat  himself  beside  my  child,  but  backward  by  my  dear  gossip  : 
moreover,  he  bade  one  of  his  own  people  drive  us  instead  of 
the  old  coachman,  and  thus  we  turned  back  in  God  his  name. 
Gustos  Benzenzis,  who,  with  the  children,  had  run  in  among  the 
vetches  by  the  wayside  (my  defunct  Gustos  would  not  have  done 
so,  he  had  more  courage),  went  on  before  again  with  the  young 
folks,  and  by  command  of  his  reverence  the  pastor  led  the  Am- 
brosian  Te  Deum,  which  deeply  moved  us  all,  more  especially 
my  child,  insomuch  that  her  book  was  wetted  with  her  tears, 
and  she  at  length  laid  it  down  and  said,  at  the  same  time  giving 
her  hand  to  the  young  lord,  "  How  can  I  thank  God  and  you 
for  that  which  you  have  done  for  me  this  day  ?"  Whereupon 
the  young  lord  answered,  saying,  "  I  have  greater  cause  to 
thank  God  than  yourself,  sweet  maid,  seeing  that  you  have  suf- 
fered in  your  dungeon  unjustly,  but  I  justly,  inasmuch  as  by  my 
thoughtlessness  I  brought  this  misery  upon  you.  Believe  me 
that  this  morning  when,  in  my  donjon-keep,  I  first  heard  the 
sound  of  the  dead-bell,  I  thought  to  have  died ;  and  when  it 
tolled  for  the  third  time,  I  should  have  gone  distraught  in  my 
grief,  had  not  the  Almighty  God  at  that  moment  taken  the  life 
of  my  strange  father,  so  that  your  innocent  life  should  be  saved 
by  me.  Wherefore  I  have  vowed  a  new  tower,  and  whatsoe'er 
beside  may  be  needful,  to  the  blessed  house  of  God  ;  for  naught 
more  bitter  could  have  befallen  me  on  earth  than  your  death, 
sweet  maid,  and  naught  more  sweet  than  your  life  !" 

But  at  these  words  my  child  only  wept  and  sighed  ;  and  when 


166  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxvm. 

he  looked  on  her,  she  cast  down  her  eyes  and  trembled,  so  that 
I  straightway  perceived  that  my  sorrows  were  not  yet  come  to 
an  end,  but  that  another  barrel  of  tears  was  just  tapped  for 
me,  and  so  indeed  it  was.  Moreover,  the  ass  of  a  Gustos,  hav- 
ing finished  the  Te  Deum  before  we  were  come  to  the  bridge, 
straightway  struck  up  the  next  following  hymn,  which  was  a 
funeral  one,  beginning,  "  The  body  let  us  now  inter."  (God 
be  praised  that  no  harm  has  come  of  it  till  datum.)  My  be- 
loved gossip  rated  him  not  a  little,  and  threatened  him  that  for 
his  stupidity  he  should  not  get  the  'money  for  the  shoes  which 
he  had  promised  him  out  of  the  Church-dues.  But  my  child 
promised  him  a  pair  of  shoes  at  her  own  charges,  seeing  that 
peradventure  a  funeral-hymn  was  better  for  her  than  a  song  of 
gladness. 

And  when  this  vexed  the  young  lord,  and  he  said,  "  How  now, 
sweet  maid,  you  know  not  how  enough  to  thank  God  and  me  for 
your  rescue,  and  yet  you  speak  thus  ?"  She  answered,  smiling 
sadly,  that  she  had  only  spoken  thus  to  comfort  the  poor  Gustos. 
But  I  straightway  saw  that  she  was  in  earnest,  for  that  she  felt 
that  although  she  escaped  one  fire,  she  already  burned  in 
another. 

Meanwhile  we  were  come  to  the  bridge  again,  and  all  the  folks 
stood  still,  and  gazed  open-mouthed,  when  the  young  lord  jumped 
down  from  the  cart,  and  after  stabbing  his  horse,  which  still  lay 
kicking  on  the  bridge,  went  on  his  knees,  and  felt  here  and  there 
with  his  hand.  At  length  he  called  to  the  worshipful  court  to 
draw  near,  for  that  he  had  found  out  the  witchcraft.  But  none 
save  Dom.  Consul  and  a  few  fellows  out  of  the  crowd,  among 
whom  was  old  Paasch,  would  follow  him  ;  item,  my  dear  gossip 
and  myself,  and  the  young  lord  showed  us  a  lump  of  tallow 
about  the  size  of  a  large  walnut,  which  lay  on  the  ground,  and 
wherewith  the  whole  bridge  had  been  smeared,  so  that  it  looked 
quite  white,  but  which  all  the  folks  in  their  fright  had  taken  for 
flour  out  of  the  mill ;  item,  with  some  other  materia,  which  stunk 
like  fitchock's  dung,  but  what  it  was  we  could  not  find  out. 
Soon  after  a  fellow  found  another  bit  of  tallow,  and  showed  it  to 
the  people  ;  whereupon  I  cried,  "  Aha  !  none  hath  done  this  but 
that  ungodly  miller's  man,  in  revenge  for  the  stripes  which  the 


CHAP,  xxviii.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  167 

Sheriff  gave  him  for  reviling  my  child."  Whereupon* I  told 
what  he  had  done,  and  Dom.  Consul,  who  also  had  heard  there- 
of, straightway  sent  for  the  miller. 

He,  however,  did  as  though  he  knew  naught  of  the  matter, 
and  only  said  that  his  man  had  left  his  service  about  an  hour 
ago.  But  a  young  lass,  the  miller's  maid-servant,  said  that  that 
very  morning,  before  day-break,  when  she  had  got  up  to  let  out 
the  cattle,  she  had  seen  the  man  scouring  the  bridge.  But  that 
she  had  given  it  no  further  heed,  and  had  gone  to  sleep  for 
another  hour ;  and  she  pretended  to  know  no  more  than  the  miller 
whither  the  rascal  was  gone.  When  the  young  lord  had  heard 
this  news,  he  got  up  into  the  cart,  and  began  to  address  the  peo- 
ple, seeking  to  persuade  them  no  longer  to  believe  in  witchcraft, 
now  that  they  had  seen  what  it  really  was.  When  I  heard  this, 
I  was  horror-stricken  (as  was  but  right)  in  my  conscience,  as  a 
priest,  and  I  got  upon  the  cart-wheel,  and  whispered  into  his  ear, 
for  God  his  sake,  to  leave  this  materia,  seeing  that  if  the  people 
no  longer  feared  the  devil,  neither  would  they  fear  our  Lord 
God.* 

The  dear  young  lord  forthwith  did  as  I  would  have  him,  and 
only  asked  the  people  whether  they  now  held  my  child  to  be 
perfectly  innocent  ?  and  when  they  had  answered,  yes !  he 
begged  them  to  go  quietly  home,  and  to  thank  God  that  he  had 
saved  innocent  blood.  That  he,  too,  would  now  return  home, 
and  that  he  hoped  that  none  would  molest  me  and  my  child  if  he 
let  us  return  to  Coserow  alone.  Hereupon  he  turned  hastily  to- 
wards her,  took  her  hand  and  said  :  "  Farewell,  sweet  maid,  I 
trust  that  I  shall  soon  clear  your  honor  before  the  world,  but  do 
you  thank  God  therefore,  not  me."  He  then  did  the  like  to  me 
and  to  my  dear  gossip,  whereupon  he  jumped  down  from  the 
cart,  and  went  and  sat  beside  Dom.  Consul  in  his  coach.  The 
•  latter  also  spake  a  few  words  to  the  people,  and  likewise  begged 
my  child  and  me  to  forgive  him  (and  I  must  say  it  to  his  honor, 
that  the  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks  the  while),  but  he  was  so 
hurried  by  the  young  lord  that  he  brake  short  his  discourse,  and 
they  drove  off  over  the  little  bridge,  without  so  much  as  looking 

*  Maybe  a  profound  truth. 


168  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxvm. 

back.  Only  Dom.  Consul  looked  round  once,  and  called  out  to 
me,  that  in  his  hurry  he  had  forgotten  to  tell  the  executioner 
that  no  one  was  to  be  burned  to-day :  I  was  therefore  to  send 
the  churchwarden  of  Uekeritze  up  the  mountain,  to  say  so  in  his 
name  j  the  which  I  did.  And  the  bloodhound  was  still  on  the 
mountain,  albeit  he  had  long  since  heard  what  had  befallen  ; 
and  when  the  bailiff  gave  him  the  orders  of  the  worshipful  coifrt, 
he  began  to  curse  so  fearfully  that  it  might  have  awakened  the 
dead  ;  moreover  he  plucked  off  his  cap,  and  trampled  it  under 
foot,  so  that  any  one  might  have  guessed  what  he  felt. 

But  to  return  to  ourselves,  my  child  sat  as  still  and  as  white 
as  a  pillar  of  salt,  after  the  young  lord  had  left  her  so  suddenly 
and  so  unawares,  but  she  was  somewhat  comforted  when  the  old 
maid-servant  came  running  with  her  coats  tucked  up  to  her 
knees,  and  carrying  her  shoes  and  stockings  in  her  hand.  We 
heard  her  afar  off,  as  the  mill  had  stopped,  blubbering  for  joy, 
and  she  fell  at  least  three  times  on  the  bridge,  but  at  last  she  got 
over  safe,  and  kissed  now  mine  and  now  my  child  her  hands 
and  feet ;  begging  us  only  not  to  turn  her  away,  but  to  keep 
her  until  her  life's  end ;  the  which  we  promised  to  do.  She  had 
to  climb  up  behind  where  the  impudent  constable  had  sat,  see- 
ing that  my  dear  gossip  would  not  leave  me  until  I  should  be 
back  in  mine  own  manse.  And  as  the  young  lord  his  servant 
had  got  up  behind  the  coach,  old  Paasch  drove  us  home,  and  all 
the  folks  who  had  waited  till  datum,  ran  beside  the  cart,  praising 
and  pitying  as  much  as  they  had  before  scorned  and  reviled  us. 
Scarce,  however,  had  we  passed  through  Uekeritze,  when  we 
again  heard  cries  of  "  Here  comes  the  young  lord,  here  comes 
the  young  lord !"  so  that  my  child  started  up  for  joy,  and  be- 
came as  red  as  a  rose,  but  some  of  the  folks  ran  into  the  buck- 
wheat, by  the  road,  again,  thinking  it  was  another  ghost.  It 
was,  however,  in  truth,  the  young  lord  who  galloped  up  on  at 
black  horse,  calling  out  as  he  drew  near  us,  "  Notwithstanding 
the  haste  I  am  in,  sweet  maid,  I  must  return  and  give  you  safe 
conduct  home,  seeing  that  I  have  just  heard  that  the  filthy  peo- 
ple reviled  you  by  the  way,  and  I  know  not  whether  you  are 
yet  safe."  Hereupon  he  urged  old  Paasch  to  mend  his  pace, 
and  as  his  kicking  and  trampling  did  not  even  make  the  horses 


CHAP,  xxvni.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  169 

trot,  the  young  lord  struck  the  saddle-horse  from  time  to  time 
with  the  flat  of  his  sword,  so  that  we  soon  reached  the  village 
and  the  manse.  Howbeit,  when  I  prayed  him  to  dismount 
awhile,  he  would  not,  but  excused  himself,  saying  that  he  must 
still  ride  through  Uzedom  to  Anclam,  but  charged  old  Paasch, 
who  was  our  bailiff,  to  watch  over  my  child  as  the  apple  of  his 
eye,  and  should  anything  unusual  happen,  he  was  straightway 
to  inform  the  town-clerk  at  Pudgla  or  Dom.  Consul  at  Uzedom 
thereof,  and  when  Paasch  had  promised  to  do  this,  he  waved  his 
hand  to  us  and  galloped  off  as  fast  as  he  could. 

But  before  he  got  round  the  corner  by  Pagel  his  house,  he 
turned  back  for  the  third  time :  and  when  we  wondered  thereat 
he  said  we  must  forgive  him,  seeing  his  thoughts  wandered 
to-day. 

That  I  had  formerly  told  him  that  I  still  had  my  patent  of 
nobility,  the  which  he  begged  me  to  lend  him  for  a  time.  Here- 
upon I  answered  that  I  must  first  seek  for  it,  and  that  he  had 
best  dismount  the  while.  But  he  would  not,  and  again  excused 
himself,  saying  he  had  no  time.  He  therefore  stayed  without 
the  door,  until  I  brought  him  the  patent,  whereupon  he  thanked 
me  and  said,  "  Do  not  wonder  hereat,  you  will  soon  see  what  my 
purpose  is."  Whereupon  he  struck  his  spurs  into  his  horse's 
sides,  and  did  not  come  back  again, 


170  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxix. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Of  our  next  great  sorrow,  and  final  joy. 

AND  now  might  we  have  been  at  rest,  and  have  thanked  God  on 
our  knees  by  day  and  night.  For,  beside  mercifully  saving  us 
out  of  such  great  tribulation,  he  turned  the  hearts  of  my  be- 
loved flock,  so  that  they  knew  not  how  to  do  enough  for  us. 
Every  day  they  brought  us  fish,  meat,  eggs,  sausages,  and 
whatsoe'er  besides  they  could  give  me,  and  which  I  have  since 
forgotten.  Moreover,  they,  every  one  of  them,  came  to  church 
the  next  Sunday,  great  and  small  (except  goodwife  Kliene  of 
Zempin,  who  had  just  got  a  boy,  and  still  kept  her  bed),  and  I 
preached  a  thanksgiving  sermon  on  Job  v.,  17,  18,  and  19  ver- 
ses, "  Behold,  happy  is  the  man  whom  God  correcteth  ;  there- 
fore despise  not  thou  the  chastening  of  the  Almighty :  for  he 
maketh  sore,  and  bindeth  up  ;  and  his  hands  make  whole.  He 
shall  deliver  thee  in  six  troubles,  yea,  in  seven  there  shall  no 
evil  touch  thee."  And  during  my  sermon  I  was  oft-times 
forced  to  stop  by  reason  of  all  the  weeping,  and  to  let  them  blow 
their  noses.  And  I  might  truly  have  compared  myself  to  Job, 
after  that  the  Lord  had  mercifully  released  him  from  his  trou- 
bles, had  it  not  been  for  my  child,  who  prepared  much  fresh 
grief  for  me.  • 

She  had  wept  when  the  young  lord  would  not  dismount,  and 
now  that  he  came  not  again,  she  grew  more  uneasy  from  day  to 
day.  She  sat  and  read  first  the  Bible,  then  the  hymn-book, 
item,  the  history  of  Dido  in  Virgilius,  or  she  climbed  up  the 
mountain  to  fetch  flowers  (likewise  sought  after  the  vein  of 
amber  there,  but  found  it  not,  which  shows  the  cunning  and 
malice  of  Satan).  I  saw  this  for  awhile  with  many  sighs,  but 
spake  not  a  word  (for,  dear  reader,  what  could  I  say  ?)  until  it 
grew  worse  and  worse ;  and  as  she  now  recited  her  carmina 


CHAP,  xxix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  171 

more  than  ever  both  at  home  and  abroad,  I  feared  lest  the  people 
should  again  repute  her  a  witch,  and  one  day  I  followed  her  up 
the  mountain.  Well-a-day,  she  sat  on  the  pile  which  still  stood 
there,  but  with  her  face  turned  towards  the  sea,  reciting  the 
Versus  where  Dido  mounts  the  funeral  pile  in  order  to  stab 
herself  for  love  of  jEneas. 

"  At  trepida  et  cceptis  immanibus  effera  Dido 
Sanguineam  volvens  aciem,  maculisque  trementes 
Interfusa  genas,  et  pallida  morte  futura 
Interiora  domus  irrumpit  limina  et  altos 
Conscendit  furibunda  rogos  .     "* 

When  I  saw  this,  and  heard  how  things  really  stood  with  her, 
I  was  affrighted  beyond  measure,  and  cried,  "  Mary,  my  child, 
what  art  thou  doing  ?"  She  started  when  she  heard  my  voice, 
but  sat  still  on  the  pile,  and  answered,  as  she  covered  her  face 
with  her  apron,  "  Father,  I  am  burning  my  heart."  I  drew  near 
to  her  and  pulled  the  apron  from  her  face,  saying,  "  Wilt  thou  then 
again  kill  me  with  grief?"  whereupon  she  covered  her  face  with 
her  hands,  and  moaned,  "  Alas,  father,  wherefore  was  I  not 
burned  here  ?  My  torment  would  then  have  endured  but  for  a 
moment,  but  now  it  will  last  as  long  as  I  live  !"  I  still  did  as 
though  I  had  seen  naught,  and  said,  "  Wherefore,  dear  child,  dost 
thou  suffer  such  torment  ?"  whereupon  she  answered,  "I  have 
long  been  ashamed  to  tell  you ;  for  the  young  lord,  the  young 
lord,  my  father,  do  I  suffer  this  torment !  He  no  longer  thinks 
of  me ;  and  albeit  he  saved  my  life  he  scorns  me,  or  he  would 
surely  have  dismounted  and  come  in  awhile ;  but  we  are  of  far 
too  low  degree  for  him !"  Hereupon  I  indeed  began  to  com- 
fort her  and  to  persuade  her  to  think  no  more  of  the  young  lord, 

*  But  furious  Dido,  with  dark  thoughts  involv'd, 
Shook  at  the  mighty  mischief  she  resolv'd. 
With  livid  spots  distinguish'd  was  her  face, 
Red  were  her  rolling  eyes,  and  discompos'd  her  pace ; 
Ghastly  she  gazed,  with  pain  she  drew  her  breath, 
And  nature  shiver'd  at  approaching  death. 
Then  swiftly  to  the  fatal  place  she  pass'd, 
And  mounts  the  funeral  pile  with  furious  haste. 

DRYDEN'S   Virgil. 


172  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxix. 

but  the  more  I  comforted  her  the  worse  she  grew.  Nevertheless 
I  saw  that  she  did  yet  in  secret  cherish  a  strong  hope  by  reason 
of  the  patent  of  nobility  which  he  had  made  me  give  him.  I 
would  not  take  this  hope  from  her,  seeing  that  I  felt  the  same 
myself,  and  to  comfort  her  I  flattered  her  hopes,  whereupon  she 
was  more  quiet  for  some  days,  and  did  not  go  up  the  mountain, 
the  which  I  had  forbidden  her.  Moreover,  she  began  again  to 
teach  little  Paasch,  her  god-daughter,  out  of  whom,  by  the  help 
of  the  all-righteous  God,  Satan  was  now  altogether  departed. 
But  she  still  pined,,  and  was  as  white  as  a  sheet ;  and  when  soon 
after  a  report  came  that  none  in  the  castle  at  Mellenthin  knew 
what  was  become  of  the  young  lord,  and  that  they  thought  he 
had  been  killed,  her  grief  became  so  great  that  I  had  to  send  my 
ploughman  on  horseback  to  Mellenthin  to  gain  tidings  of  him. 
And  she  looked  at  least  twenty  times  out  of  the  door  and  over 
the  paling  to  watch  for  his  return  ;  and  when  she  saw  him  com- 
ing she  ran  out  to  meet  him  as  far  as  the  corner  by  Pagels.  But, 
blessed  God  !  he  brought  us  even  worse  news  than  we  had  heard 
before,  saying,  that  the  people  at  the  castle  had  told  him  that 
their  young  master  had  ridden  away  the  self-same  day  whereon 
he  had  rescued  the  maiden.  That  he  had,  indeed,  returned  after 
three  days  to  his  father's  funeral,  but  had  straightway  ridden 
off  again,  and  that  for  five  weeks  they  had  heard  nothing  further 
of  him,  and  knew  not  whither  he  was  gone,  but  supposed  that 
some  wicked  ruffians  had  killed  him. 

And  now  my  grief  was  greater  than  ever  it  had  been  before ; 
so  patient  and  resigned  to  the  will  of  God  as  my  child  had  shown 
herself  heretofore,  and  no  martyr  could  have  met  her  last  hour 
stronger  in  God  and  Christ,  so  impatient  and  despairing  was  she 
now.  She  gave  up  all  hope,  and  took  it  into  her  head  that  in 
these  heavy  times  of  war  the  young  lord  had  been  killed  by  rob- 
bers. Naught  availed  with  her,  not  even  prayer,  for  when  I 
called  upon  God  with  her,  on  my  knees,  she  straightway  began 
so  grievously  to  bewail  that  the  Lord  had  cast  her  off,  and  that 
she  was  condemned  to  naught  save  misfortunes  in  this  world ; 
that  it  pierced  through  my  heart  like  a  knife,  and  my  thoughts  for- 
sook me  at  her  words.  She  lay  also  at  night,  and  "  like  a  crane 
or  a  swallow  so  did  she  chatter ;  she  did  mourn  like  a  dove  ;  her 


CHAP,  xxix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  173 

eyes  did  fail  with  looking  upward,"*  because  no  sleep  came  upon 
her  eye-lids.  I  called  to  her  from  my  bed,  "  Dear  child,  wilt 
thou  then  never  cease  ?  sleep,  I  pray  thee  !"  and  she  answered 
and  said,  "Do  you  sleep,  dearest  father;  I  cannot  sleep  until 
I  sleep  the  sleep  of  death.  Alas,  my  father ;  that  I  was  not 
burned  !"  But  how  could  I  sleep  when  she  could  not  ?  I,  indeed, 
said,  each  morning,  that  I  had  slept  awhile,  in  order  to  content 
her ;  but  it  was  not  so  ;  but  like  David,  "  all  the  night  made  I 
my  bed  to  swim ;  I  watered  my  couch  with  my  tears. "f  More- 
over I  again  fell  into  heavy  unbelief,  so  that  I  neither  could  nor 
would  pray.  Nevertheless  the  Lord  "  did  not  deal  with  me 
after  my  sins,  nor  reward  me  according  to  mine  iniquities.  For 
as  the  heaven  is  high  above  the  earth,  so  great  was  his  mercy 
toward"  me,  miserable  sinner  !:}: 

For  mark  what  happened  on  the  very  next  Saturday  !  Be- 
hold, our  old  maid-servant  came  running  in  at  the  door  quite 
out  of  breath,  saying  that  a  horseman  was  coming  over  the 
Master's  Mount,  with  a  tall  plume  waving  on  his  hat ;  and  that 
she  believed  it  was  the  young  lord.  When  my  child,  who  sat 
upon  the  bench  combing  her  hair,  heard  this,  she  gave  a  shriek 
of  joy,  which  would  have  moved  a  stone  under  the  earth,  and 
straightway  ran  out  of  the  room  to  look  over  the  paling.  She 
presently  came  running  in  again,  fell  upon  my  neck,  and  cried 
without  ceasing,  "The  young  lord!  the  young  lord  !"  where- 
upon she  would  have  run  out  to  meet  him,  but  I  forbade  her, 
saying  she  had  better  first  bind  up  her  hair,  which  she  then  re- 
membered, and  laughing,  weeping,  and  praying,  all  at  once, 
she  bound  up  her  long  hair.  And  now  the  young  lord  came 
galloping  round  the  corner,  attired  in  a  green  velvet  doublet 
with  red  silk  sleeves,  and  a  grey  hat  with  a  heron's  feather 
therein  ;  summa,  gaily  dressed  as  beseems  a  wooer.  And  when 
we  now  ran  out  at  the  door,  he  called  aloud  to  my  child  in  the 
Latin,  from  afar  off,  "  Quomodo  stat  dulcissima  virgo  ?"  Where- 
upon she  gave  answer,  saying,  "  Bene  te  aspecto."  He  then 
sprang  smiling  off  his  horse  and  gave  it  into  the  charge  of  my 

*  Ps.  vi.,  6.  t  Isa.  xxxviii.,  14.  }  Ps.  ciii.,  10,  11. 


174  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxix. 

ploughman,  who  meanwhile  had  come  up  together  with  the 
maid  ;  but  he  was  affrighted  when  he  saw  my  child  so  pale, 
and  taking  her  hand  spake  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  "  My  God ! 
what  is  it  ails  you,  sweet  maid  ?  you  look  more  pale  than  when 
about  to  go  to  the  stake."  Whereupon  she  answered,  "  I  have 
been  at  the  stake  daily  since  you  left  us,  good  my  lord,  without 
coming  into  our  house,  or  so  much  as  sending  us  tidings  of 
whither  you  were  gone." 

This  pleased  him  well,  and  he  said,  "  Let  us  first  of  all  go 
into  the  chamber,  and  you  shall  hear  all."  And  when  he  had 
wiped  the  sweat  from  his  brow,  and  sat  down  on  the  bench 
beside  my  child,  he  spake  as  follows  : — "  That  he  had  straight- 
way promised  her  that  he  would  clear  her  honor  before  the 
whole  world,  and  the  self-same  day  whereon  he  left  us  he  made 
the  worshipful  court  draw  up  an  authentic  record  of  all  that 
had  taken  place,  more  especially  the  confession  of  the  impudent 
constable,  item,  that  of  my  ploughboy,  Glaus  Neels  ;  wherewith 
he  rode  throughout  the  same  night,  as  he  had  promised,  to 
Anclam,  and  next  day  to  Stettin,  to  our  gracious  sovereign 
Duke  Bogislaw  :  who  marvelled  greatly  when  he  heard  of  the 
wickedness  of  his  Sheriff,  and  of  that  which  he  had  done  to  my 
child ;  moreover,  he  asked  whether  she  were  the  pastor's 
daughter  who  once  upon  a  time  had  found  the  signet-ring  of  his 
Princely  Highness  Philippus  Julius  of  most  Christian  memory 
in  the  castle  garden  at  Wolgast  ?  and  as  he  did  not  know 
thereof,  the  Duke  asked,  whether  she  knew  Latin  ?  And  he, 
the  young  lord,  answered  yes,  that  she  knew  the  Latin  better 
than  he  did  himself.  His  Princely  Highness  said,  "  Then, 
indeed,  it  must  be  the  same,"  and  straightway  he  put  on  his 
spectacles,  and  read  the  acta  himself.  Hereupon,  and  after  his 
Princely  Highness  had  read  the  record  of  the  worshipful  court, 
shaking  his  head  the  while,  the  young  lord  humbly  besought  his 
Princely  Highness  to  give  him  an  amende  honorable  for  my  child, 
item,  literas  commcndatitias  for  himself  to  our  most  gracious 
Emperor  at  Vienna,  to  beg  for  a  renewal  of  my  patent  of  no- 
bility, seeing  that  he  was  determined  to  marry  none  other  maiden 
than  my  daughter  so  long  as  he  lived. 

When  my  child  heard  this,  she  gave  a  ory  of  joy,  and  fell  back 


CHAP,  xxix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  175 

in  a  swound  with  her  head  against  the  wall.  But  the  young 
lord  caught  her  in  his  arms,  and  gave  her  three  kisses  (which  I 
could  not  then  deny  him,  seeing,  as  I  did  with  joy,  how  matters 
went),  and  when  she  came  to  herself  again,  he  asked  her, 
whether  she  would  not  have  him,  seeing  that  she  had  given 
such  a  cry  at  his  words  ?  Whereupon  she  said,  "  Whether  I 
will  not  have  you,  my  lord  !  Alas !  I  love  you  as  dearly  as  my 
God  and  my  Saviour !  You  first  saved  my  life,  and  now  you 
have  snatched  my  heart  from  the  stake  whereon,  without  you, 
it  would  have  burned  all  the  days  of  my  life  !"  Hereupon  I 
wept  for  joy,  when  he  drew  her  into  his  lap,  and  she  clasped  his 
neck  with  her  little  hands. 

They  thus  sat  and  toyed  awhile,  till  the  young  lord  again 
perceived  me,  and  said,  "  What  say  you  thereto ;  I  trust  it  is 
also  your  will,  reverend  Abraham  ?"  Now,  dear  reader,  what 
could  I  say,  save  my  hearty  good-will  ?  seeing  that  I  wept  for 
very  joy,  as  did  my  child,  and  I  answered,  how  should  it  not  be 
my  will,  seeing  that  it  was  the  will  of  God  ?  But  whether  the 
worthy,  good  young  lord  had  likewise  considered  that  he  would 
stain  his  noble  name  if  he  took  to  wife  my  child,  who  had  been 
had  in  repute  as  a  witch,  and  had  been  well  nigh  bound  to  the 
stake. 

Hereupon  he  said,  By  no  means ;  for  that  he  had  long  since 
prevented  this,  and  he  proceeded  to  tell  us  how  he  had  done  it, 
namely,  his  Princely  Highness  had  promised  him  to  make  ready 
all  the  scripta  which  he  required,  within  four  days,  when  he 
hoped  to  be  back  from  his  father's  burial.  He  therefore  rode 
straightway  back  to  Mellenthin,  and  after  paying  the  last  honor 
to  my  lord  his  father,  he  presently  set  forth  on  his  way  again, 
and  found  that  his  Princely  Highness  had  kept  his  word  mean- 
while. With  these  scripta  he  rode  to  Vienna,  and  albeit  he  met" 
with  many  pains,  troubles,  and  dangers  by  the  way  (which  he 
would  relate  to  us  at  some  other  time),  he  nevertheless  reached 
the  city  safely.  There  he  by  chance  met  with  a  Jesuit  with 
whom  he  had  once  upon  a  time  had  his  locamentum  for  a  few 
days  at  Prague,  while  he  was  yet  a  studiosus,  and  this  man  hav- 
ing heard  his  business,  bade  him  be  of  good  cheer,  seeing  that 
his  Imperial  Majesty  stood  sorely  in  need  of  money  in  these  hard 


176  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxix. 

times  of  war,  and  that  he,  the  Jesuit,  would  manage  it  all  for 
him.  This  he  really  did,  and  his  Imperial  Majesty  not  only 
renewed  my  patent  of  nobility,  but  likewise  confirmed  the 
amende  honorable  to  my  child  granted  by  his  Princely  High- 
ness the  Duke,  so  that  he  might  now  maintain  the  honor  of  his 
betrothed  bride  against  all  the  world,  as  also  hereafter  that  of 
his  wife. 

Hereupon  he  drew  forth  the  acta  from  his  bosom  and  put  them 
into  my  hand,  saying,  "  And  now,  reverend  Abraham,  you  must 
also  do  me  a  pleasure,  to- wit,  to-morrow  morning,  when  I  hope  to 
go  with  my  betrothed  bride  to  the  Lord's  table,  you  must  publish 
the  banns  between  me  and  your  daughter,  and  on  the  day  after 
you  must  marry  us.  Do  not  say  nay  thereto,  for  my  pastor  the 
reverend  Philippus  says  that  this  is  no  uncommon  custom  among 
the  nobles  in  Pomerania,  and  I  have  already  given  notice  of  the 
wedding  for  Monday  at  mine  own  castle,  whither  we  will  then 
go,  and  where  I  purpose  to  bed  my  bride."  I  should  have 
found  much  to  say  against  this  request,  more  especially  that  in 
honor  of  the  holy  Trinity  he  should  suffer  himself  to  be  called 
three  times  in  church  according  to  custom,  and  that  he  should 
delay  awhile  the  espousals  ;  but  when  I  perceived  that  my  child 
would  gladly  have  the  marriage  held  right  soon,  for  she  sighed 
and  grew  red  as  scarlet,  I  had  not  the  heart  to  refuse  them,  but 
promised  all  they  asked.  Whereupon  I  exhorted  them  both  to 
prayer,  and  when  I  had  laid  my  hands  upon  their  heads,  I 
thanked  the  Lord  more  deeply  than  I  had  ever  yet  thanked  him, 
so  that  at  last  I  could  no  longer  speak  for  tears,  seeing  that  they 
drowned  my  voice. 

Meanwhile  the  young  lord  his  coach  had  driven  up  to  the 
door,  filled  with  chests  and  coffers  :  and  he  said,  "  Now,  sweet 
maid,  you  shall  see  what  I  have  brought  you,"  and  he  bade 
them  bring  all  the  things  into  the  room.  Dear  reader,  what  fine 
things  were  there,  such  as  I  had  never  seen  in  all  my  life  !  all 
that  women  can  use  was  there,  especially  of  clothes,  to  wit,  bod- 
dices,  plaited  gowns,  long  robes,  some  of  them  bordered  with 
fur,  veils,  aprons,  item,  the  bridal  shift  with  gold  fringes,  where- 
on the  merry  lord  had  laid  some  six  or  seven  bunches  of  myrtle 
to  make  herself  a  wreath  withal.  Item,  there  was  no  end  to  the 


CHAP,  xxix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  177 

rings,  neck-chains,  ear-drops,  &c.,  the  which  I  have  in  part  for- 
gotten. Neither  did  the  young  lord  leave  me  without  a  gift, 
seeing  he  had  brought  me  a  new  surplice  (the  enemy  had  rob- 
bed me  of  my  old  one),  also  doublets,  hosen,  and  shoes,  summa, 
whatsoever  appertains  to  a  man's  attire  ;  wherefore  I  secretly 
besought  the  Lord  not  to  punish  us  again  in  his  sore  displeasure 
for  such  pomps  and  vanities.  When  my  child  beheld  all  these 
things  she  was  grieved  that  she  could  bestow  upon  him  naught 
save  her  heart  alone,  and  the  chain  of  the  Swedish  king,  the 
which  she  hung  round  his  neck,  and  begged  him,  weeping  the 
while,  to  take  it  as  a  bridal  gift.  This  he  at  length  promised 
to  do,  and  likewise  to  carry  it  with  him  into  the  grave  :  but  that 
my  child  must  first  wear  it  at  her  wedding,  as  well  as  the  blue 
silken  gown,  for  that  this  and  no  other  should  be  her  bridal  dress, 
and  this  he  made  her  promise  to  do. 

And  now  a  merry  chance  befel  with  the  old  maid,  the  which 
I  will  here  note.  For  when  the  faithful  old  soul  had  heard 
what  had  taken  place,  she  was  beside  herself  for  joy,  danced 
and  clapped  her  hands,  and  at  last  said  to  my  child,  "  Now  to  be 
sure  you  will  not  weep  when  the  young  lord  is  to  lie  in  your 
bed,"  whereat  my  child  blushed  scarlet  for  shame,  and  ran  out 
of  the  room ;  and  when  the  young  lord  would  know  what  she 
meant  therewith  she  told  him  that  he  had  already  once  slept  in 
my  child  her  bed  when  he  came  from  Gutzkow  with  me,  where- 
upon he  bantered  her  all  the  evening  after  that  she  was  come 
back  again.  Moreover,  he  promised  the  maid  that  as  she  had 
once  made  my  child  her  bed  for  him,  she  should  make  it  again, 
and  that  on  the  day  after  to-morrow,  she  and  the  ploughman  too 
should  go  with  us  to  Mellenthin,  so  that  masters  and  servants 
should  all  rejoice  together  after  such  great  distress. 

And  seeing  that  the  dear  young  lord  would  stop  the  night 
under  my  roof,  I  made  him  lie  in  the  small  closet  together  with 
me  (for  I  could  not  know  what  might  happen).  He  soon  slept 
like  a  top,  but  no  sleep  came  into  my  eyes,  for  very  joy,  and  I 
prayed  the  livelong  blessed  night,  or  thought  over  my  sermon. 
Only  near  morning  I  dosed  a  little  ;  and  when  I  rose  the  young 
lord  already  sat  in  the  next  room  with  my  child,  who  wore  the 
black  silken  gown  which  he  had  brought  her,  and,  strange  to  say, 
13 


178  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP. 

she  looked  fresher  than  even  when  the  Swedish  king  came,  so 
that  I  never  in  all  my  life  saw  her  look  fresher  or  fairer.  Item, 
the  young  lord  wore  his  black  doublet,  and  picked  out  for  her 
the  best  bits  of  myrtle  for  the  wreath  she  was  twisting.  But 
when  she  saw  me,  she  straightway  laid  the  wreath  beside  her 
on  the  bench,  folded  her  little  hands,  and  said  the  morning 
prayer,  as  she  was  ever  wont  to  do,  which,  humility  pleased  the 
young  lord  right  well,  and  he  begged  her  that  in  future  she 
would  ever  do  the  like  with  him,  the  which  she  promised. 

Soon  after  we  went  to  the  blessed  church  to  confession,  and 
all  the  folk  stood  gaping  open-mouthed  because  the  young  lord 
led  my  child  on  his  arm.  But  they  wondered  far  more  when, 
after  the  sermon,  I  first  read  to  them  in  the  vulgar  tongue  the 
amende  honorable  to  my  child  from  his  Princely  Highness,  to- 
gether with  the  confirmation  of  the  same  by  his  Imperial  Ma- 
jesty, and  after  that  my  patent  of  nobility  ;  and,  lastly,  began 
to  publish  the  banns  between  my  child  and  the  young  lord. 
Dear  reader,  there  arose  a  murmur  throughout  the  church  like 
the  buzzing  of  a  swarm  of  bees.  (N.  B.  These  scripta' were 
burnt  in  the  fire  which  broke  out  in  the  castle  a  year  ago,  as  I 
shall  hereafter  relate,  wherefore  I  cannot  insert  them  here  in 
origine.) 

Hereupon  my  dear  children  went  together  with  much  people 
to  the  Lord's  table,  and  after  church  nearly  all  the  folks  crowd- 
ed round  them  and  wished  them  joy.  Item,  old  Paasch  came  to 
our  house  again  that  afternoon,  and  once  more  besought  my 
daughter's  forgiveness  because  that  he  had  unwittingly  offended 
her ;  that  he  would  gladly  give  her  a  marriage-gift,  but  that  he 
now  had  nothing  at  all  ;  howbeit  that  his  wife  should  set  one  of 
her  lii-iis  in  the  spring,  and  he  would  take  the  chickens  to  her  at 
M ellenthin  himself.  This  made  us  all  to  laugh,  more  especially 
the  young  lord,  who  at  last  said :  "  As  thou  wilt  bring  me  a 
marriage-gift,  thou  must  also  be  asked  to  the  wedding,  where- 
fore thou  mayest  come  to-morrow  with  the  rest." 

Whereupon  my  child  said  :  "  And  your  little  Mary,  my  god- 
child, shall  come  too,  and  be  my  bridemaiden,  if  my  lord  allows 
it."  Whereupon  she  began  to  tell  the  young  lord  all  that  had 
befallen  the  child  by  the  malice  of  Satan,  and  how  they  laid  it 


CHAP,  xxix.]  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  .  179 

to  her  charge  until  such  time  as  the  all-righteous  God  brought 
her  innocence  to  light ;  and  she  begged  that  since  her  dear  lord 
had  commanded  her  to  wear  the  same  garments  at  her  wedding 
which  she  had  worn  to  salute  the  Swedish  king,  and  afterwards 
to  go  to  the  stake,  he  would  likewise  suffer  her  to  take  for  her 
bridemaiden  her  little  godchild,  as  indicium  secundum  of  her 
sorrows. 

And  when  he  had  promised  her  this,  she  told  old  Paasch  to 
send  hither  his  child  to  her,  that  she  might  fit  a  new  gown  upon 
her  which  she  had  cut  out  for  her  a  week  ago,  and  which  the 
maid  would  finish  sewing  this  very  day.  This  so  went  to  the 
heart  of  the  good  old  fellow  that  he  began  to  weep  aloud, 
and  at  last  said,  she  should  not  do  all  this  for  nothing,  for 
instead  of  the  one  hen  his  wife  should  set  three  for  her  in  the 
spring. 

When  he  was  gone,  and  the  young  lord  did  naught  save  talk 
with  his  betrothed  bride  both  in  the  vulgar  and  in  the  Latin 
tongue,  I  did  better — namely,  went  up  the  mountain  to  pray, 
wherein,  moreover,  I  followed  my  child's  example,  and  clomb 
up  upon  the  pile,  there  in  loneliness  to  offer  up  my  whole  heart 
to  the  Lord  as  an  offering  of  thanksgiving,  seeing  that  with  this 
sacrifice  he  is  well  pleased,  as  in  Ps.  li.,  19,  "  The  sacrifice  of 
God  is  a  troubled  spirit ;  a  broken  and  contrite  heart,  O  God, 
shalt  thou  not  despise." 

That  night  the  young  lord  again  lay  in  my  room,  but  next 
morning,  when  the  sun  had  scarce  risen 


Here  end  these  interesting  communications,  which  I  do  not  in- 
tend to  dilute  with  any  additions  of  my  own.  My  readers,  more 
especially  those  of  the  fair  sex,  can  picture  to  themselves  at 
pleasure  the  future  happiness  of  this  excellent  pair. 

All  further  historical  traces  of  their  existence,  as  well  as  that 
of  the  pastor,  have  disappeared,  and  nothing  remains  but  a  tablet 
fixed  in  the  wall  of  the  Church  at  Mellenthin,  on  which  the 
incomparable  lord,  and  his  yet  more  incomparable  wife,  are 
represented.  On  his  faithful  breast  still  hangs  "  the  golden 
chain,  with  the  effigy  of  the  Swedish  King."  They  both  seem 
to  have  died  within  a  short  time  of  each  other,  and  to  have  been 


180.  THE  AMBER  WITCH.  [CHAP.  xxix. 

buried  in  the  same  coffin.  For  in  the  vault  under  the  church 
there  is  still  a  large  double  coffin,  in  which,  according  to  tradi- 
tion, lies  a  chain  of  gold  of  incalculable  value.  Some  twenty 
years  ago,  the  owner  of  Mellenthin,  whose  unequalled  extrava- 
gance had  reduced  him  to  the  verge  of  beggary,  attempted  to 
open  the  coffin  in  order  to  take  out  this  precious  relic,  but  he 
was  not  able.  It  appeared  as  if  some  powerful  spell  held  it 
firmly  together ;  and  it  has  remained  unopened  down  to  the 
present  time.  May  it  remain  so  until  the  last  awful  day,  and 
may  the  impious  hand  of  avarice  or  curiosity  never  desecrate 
these  holy  ashes  of  holy  beings ! 


FINIS. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  LOS  ANGELES 

THE  T"        ~RSITY  LIBRARY 
This  hook  is  T^  '  Koin 


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